Silver Shadows
by Wolven Spirits
Summary: Framed and betrayed, Harry disappears from the Wizarding World upon his release from Azkaban, finding his true heritage, and finds himself a new identity. He knows that Voldemort is not gone, and it seems that his past has no intention of letting go.
1. To Meet

**Silver Shadows**

**Summary**: Framed for murder, Harry finds himself sentenced to Azkaban, as the wizarding world believes themselves rid of Voldemort forever. Only Harry knows the truth, but no one will believe him. Betrayed by friends, Harry finds out his true heritage, and disappears upon his release. After restarting his life in a completely new setting, he finds out that his past has no intention of leaving him alone.

**Disclaimer: Anything you recognise is not mine**

**Chapter One: To Meet**

A twist of his hand, a flip of his hair, and his body swayed on the stage. The fan flicked open, hiding his parted lips as he bent forward, long strands of hair sweeping across his face. Then he pushed off, and flew through the air, his body twisting, legs sweeping, arms flowing. And his hair flashed in the dim light, liquid silver.

Bowing to the applause, Wolf swept off the stage. His steps were quiet as he made his way to the shower. Stripping off his sweat-soaked costume, he stepped under the warm spray, slowly allowing his muscles to relax.

Long, slender fingers, calloused on the underside, swept through his hair to tie it back. Staring at his reflection, he reached up and touched his face. His cheeks had begun to fill in again, though while they were nowhere near as sunken as they had been in Azkaban, they were not yet at a healthy level. That was alright, though. He did, after all, have many, many years to fix that.

He removed the towel from his waist, then hesitated slightly, before dropping it to the ground. Within seconds, there was a faint pop, and a house-elf appeared, gave him a stern glance, and disappeared with the laundry. Still bemused by the house-elf even after all these years, Wolf changed into the fresh clothes laid out for him. He was in the middle of buttoning up the loose, dark-green shirt when a small body burst into the room.

"Papa!" Long black hair flew as the child threw herself at him.

Catching her, he swung her up into the air, delighting in her shrieks of laughter.

"Papa, are you done? Read me a story, please, Papa?" Her eyes pleaded as he lowered her to the ground.

Wolf winced internally. He had to work tonight, but how could he say no to those eyes?

"Papa has to work, dearest," and Mama to the rescue.

"Papa will read you a story in the morning," Wolf promised his daughter, Angel. He sighed in relief when the disappointment left her eyes, easily replaced with joy.

He glanced up at his wife, and shrugged helplessly when he saw the knowing look she was giving him. He walked over to her, and kissed her gently. "You know I can't resist her eyes," he murmured.

"Hmm," she replied, eyeing him. "And if I want a story tonight, too?" She licked her lips, then his as she went in for another kiss.

"I'll make it up to you," he promised huskily.

Then Angel was tugging on her mother's arm. "Mama, you mustn't distract Papa!" She scolded. "He has to work!" Her small face was set in a stern frown.

Wolf's green eyes crinkled at the corners. "She's right, Mama. Behave." He swept the hair from Naomi's eyes, and tucked it behind her hair. "I will be up once I have closed up," he promised. Then he bent down and picked up his daughter's hand. He kissed the back of it solemnly. "Now behave for Mama, and I shall be there to read to you in the morning, my little Angel."

"Of course, Papa," she smiled and kissed his cheek. "Now don't slack off!" She ordered, as she skipped back up the stairs, with Naomi in tow.

Wolf stared after her. "Where did she learn that phrase?" He asked his bonded suspiciously. Naomi just laughed.

"Teren," he greeted as he entered the busy club. "You're free to go."

"Thanks boss," the young man grinned. "Busy night," he warned. "Always is when you perform," he winked. He wiped his hands with a towel, and set it down behind the bar. "I'll be at the House tonight with Angel and Naomi. Veran's taking the night off," he waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Wolf gave him an amused glance. "See that you're not too tired to do your job properly," he murmured warningly. And despite the loud music, he knew that Teren could hear him.

"Of course," Teren's expression sobered. He bowed his head, eyes serious as he straightened.

"Double-check the wards," Wolf commanded as he strode past the young man. He heard Teren confirm, and relaxed slightly. But not completely. Never completely. Because to do so would mean placing his family in danger, and he would do anything to avoid that. Maybe one day it would change, but doubt lingered in his mind.

_-Silver Shadows-_

**_He-Who-Disappeared?_**

_It has been nearly five years since He-Who-Betrayed was released from Azkaban. The question that resides on the tip of everyone's tongue, though, is: Where is he? Harry Potter, infamously known for his betrayal from the Light has not turned up, since the day of his release. Many witches and wizards alike stay up at night, lying in bed and fearing for their safety. With someone just as insane as Voldemort on the loose, who knows what could happen? Many question the decision of the judges to let the murderer out of Azkaban after such a short amount of time._

_As a solution, the ever-resourceful Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge has offered some tips, if you find yourself under attack from a Dark Wizard:_

_- ministry-approved emergency portkeys in easily reach spots for quick accessibility in times of dire need._

_- a meeting spot in the house, so that you can make sure that everyone has left the house safely._

_- your wand with you at all times, and your children under strict surveillance. Any dark activity should be reported immediately; your children or someone close to you could have been placed under a dark spell or could have betrayed your location._

_- the basic spells: Stupefy, expelliarmus, protego, to further maximize your chance of escape._

_Rita Skeeter_

Glittering black eyes narrowed in disgust at the article. Truly, they never seemed to tire of coming up with new nicknames. It was pathetic. And the tips, if they could be labelled as such, were as useless as a muggle with a wand. It was such a blatant attempt by the Minister to appear helpful. He was surprised Fudge had not been assassinated yet, with such useless ideas.

Potter, though. That was another matter in itself. The boy had disappeared, and had yet to be found. He could not fathom how this was possible. How could such a dim-witted scrap of a wizard evade the wizarding world for so long? It should not have been possible and yet the evidence was right in front of him. He scowled and threw the paper onto his desk. It would not do him any good to dwell on such matters. He had little regard for spoiled, arrogant brats like Potter.

_-Silver Shadows-_

"Pansy dearest," Draco kissed her cheek as he sat down beside her. "A letter from Blaise?" He asked, glancing at the letter she held in her hands.

"Indeed," she confirmed. "He is off gallivanting around Italy again," she scowled slightly, disapproval written across her face. "He is shirking his responsibilities again." Her lips pursed.

"As a man, this time?" He queried.

Pansy scowled at him. "As a woman."

Draco swallowed a smile. Instead, he grabbed her hand, and ran his thumb over her palm in a soothing manner. "I am sure he will tire of it quickly and return," he assured her. Inside, he was chuckling. He knew Pansy too well to believe her facade. She was eternally disapproving of Blaise's adventures, but he knew that it was merely because she wished to be doing the same thing, traveling across Europe, rather than being stuck in England, trying to juggle the multitude of political factions that came knocking on their door. It was much easier for their friend, though, who had the delightful ability to change not only his appearance, but also his gender with remarkable ease and no negative effects. It made Pansy quite jealous.

"He had better," she sniffed. "I don't suppose he will be thoughtful enough to bring back any souvenirs, will he..."

_-Silver Shadows-_

White eyes stared into the glassy water, then closed with a frown. White cloth was tied gently around the seeing orbs.

"It is starting soon," a wispy voice. "Trust your instincts, for they shall not lead you astray, one who is no longer lone." Silken white robes danced around her. "And do not fail," she whispered. "For if you do..." the water rippled, darkening ominously as she swept away. "We are too tired to continue on like this."

She leaned against the proffered arm, fatigue marring her usually serene features. "We are too tired."

**Author's Note:** Rewritten March 4th, 2012. My writing style has changed and (hopefully) developed over the years. As such, I am rewriting and/or editing my current chapters, since I am not happy with a lot of them. I promise updates, too. The next chapter is half written.


	2. History repeats itself

**Summary**: Framed for murder, Harry finds himself sentenced to Azkaban, as the wizarding world believes themselves rid of Voldemort forever. Only Harry knows the truth, but no one will believe him. Betrayed by friends, Harry finds out his true heritage, and disappears upon his release. After restarting his life in a completely new setting, he finds out that his past has no intention of leaving him alone.

**Disclaimer: I'm sure you all know it by now… Nothing you recognize is mine.**

**Chapter two: History Repeats Itself**

_"Join me," the cold high voice whispered, ignoring the chaos around them. Cruel red eyes bore into green ones, a terrible smile twisting the snake-like face. Harry shook his head, glaring._

_"How could I? You expect me to join the one who was responsible for the death of my parents?" He could see the destruction around them. Death eaters and Order members everywhere, fighting, dying… Aurors joining, the chaos mounting._

_Harry trembled slightly. Lord Voldemort had his wand, and there was no way he could get it. He watched as familiar faces contorted while screaming curses, trying valiantly to win. Ginny was somewhere close-by, fighting against Percy. Family fighting family. This was the world Voldemort would create._

_"Look at you," Hissed Voldemort. "Pathetic. You can't even hold on to your wand. Here you are, helpless at my feet, and no one is coming to save you. You are alone. There is no one here willing to stand by you. They are cowards, betrayers; they will not stand by you forever. But join with me and together, we will be unstoppable."_

_Tears trickled down Harry's face. "No…" He whispered, stumbling backwards slightly. He wouldn't be betrayed, would he? They were his friends… He could hear Ron shouting off curses, trying to protect Hermione who had twisted her ankle earlier on in the fight._

_"Yesss, they should be protecting you, not themselves. This is how they see you: As the saviour, the boy-who-lived, never as Harry Potter. No, you are truly alone in this; you will always be. Come… join me, Harry. Choose what you were meant to do; rule the world alongside me." He proffered his hand, his pale skin glowing in the pale light of the torches that lit Hogwarts._

_"No… I can't… I won't be betrayed…" Harry's voice took on an almost hysterical note, as he backed away even further, until he reached the wall, bumping into it painfully._

_Voldemort's face contorted with rage. "Then you will pay for what you have done to me! Never forget that I gave you a chance, and you refused it, like a fool. And you will regret it." With a voice that seemed all too much like Harry's he shouted a curse, pointing at the ground. A streak of black light shot from the wand to the ground. The explosion was immediate, traveling far with its black tendrils, smoke obscuring everything. For a few minutes, all that could be heard was the crumbling of stone, until even that ended, leaving the Great Hall of Hogwarts with a big gaping hole in the middle._

_Harry coughed slightly, trying to force his battered and bruised body to move. Having been thrown back into the wall, he was bleeding in more places than he could count. That and the lasting effects of the cruciatus curse did not help his current state._

_As the smoke cleared, he glanced around to his growing horror. He could see the remains of bodies littered everywhere, and the horrified stares of those who had survived. He felt his hand brush something long and slim. Glancing down, his eyes widened as they came upon his wand. He picked it up, then frowned. It was almost exactly like his wand, but… No, it was different, but at least he could defend himself with it, if necessary. Standing up, he leaned against the wall, panting heavily. If anyone decided to attack him now in his weakened state, they would have no problems killing him. His eyes stopped on a body a few meters away from him. A pale hand hung limply from the arm of the robe. But that was…_

_"It's over," came a hushed whisper from one of the aurors. "Harry Potter defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!" The eyes took in the rest of the bodies, all killed from the same curse. "You killed them…" Came the horrified whisper, and shocked gasps arose from around. "How could you…" The accusing stares burned their way through to his heart._

_"But, I didn-"_

_"Harry!" It was Hermione. "Was- did you really..." her face was pale as she stared at the dead bodies. Pleading eyes turned to him. "Please tell me it wasn't you, Harry. Please!" She held on to Ron has he helped her make her way over._

_Ron was staring at him suspiciously. "Harry," his voice was rough from yelling. "What spell did you use? Cast Priori Incantatem," he stopped a few feet away. When Harry didn't move, Ron's eyes suddenly blazed. "Cast it!" He shouted. "Cast it, so that I know fi you were the one to kill my sister!"_

_Harry's eyes widened at the implications of Ron's words. Ron's sister... Ginny... that meant that Ginny was... dead? No, it couldn't be. With a trembling hand, he raised the wand. It was not his wand, but it might as well have been. After all, if he had not refused Voldemort, the spell would not have been cast. If he had died when he was supposed to, all those years ago as a baby, none of this would have happened._

_"Priori Incantatem," he murmured, and felt his hopes disappear as black tendrils crawled from the wand, taunting him with their lifelike movements, forming the spell that Voldemort had cast._

_"Arrest him," Minister Fudge had arrived after being notified of Voldemort's supposed death._

_Harry immediately glanced at Ron and Hermione, pleading with his eyes. Don't leave him. Not now, not when he needed them most..._

_They turned away, moving away from him. Ron was whispering something to Hermione, and she was nodding. They limped out of his life, and he felt something in his heart break._

_Harry watched as his life changed in those few moments. In the blink of an eye, all that Voldemort had said came true. His friends had betrayed him. He didn't bother to struggle as aurors came to take him away._

_He was barely given a trial. It was only Dumbledore's sympathy that gave him any chance at all. But that was where Dumbledore's help ended. The man did nothing to defend him. Harry felt a spark of betrayal run through him at the thought._

_"Harry James Potter, son of James and Lily Potter. You are hereby charged with the use of the cruciatus curse on Bellatrix Lestrange, and the murders of the following people:_

_Ginerva Weasley_

_Percival Weasley_

_Susan Bones_

_Amelia Bones_

_Helen Shacklebolt_

_Mundungus Fletcher_

_Theodore Nott_

_Marcus Flint…_

_The list seemed never-ending. By the time Dumbledore stopped reading, over twenty wizards had been named. Half of them were aurors, and the rest were either Death Eaters or Order members. He blinked away the tears that threatened to spill._

_"I didn't do it," he whispered softly, almost to himself. He stared up at them defiantly. "I didn't do it! I didn't kill them!" He all but shouted, though guilt leaked into his voice, because he knew: He might as well have. Had he not lost his wand to Voldemort… Had he stalled longer, or killed himself, or done anything else, they wouldn't be dead. He looked away, confirming their beliefs._

_"We trusted you," Hermione's voice was broken. "You were a brother to us. How could you betray our trust like that..." She was sobbing._

_Dumbledore was looking at him with a frown on his face, his eyes solemn. For once, Harry could not stand to look at him._

_"Harry James Potter: You are hereby sentenced to ten years in Azkaban prison, for murder and torture. For defeating He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, the punishment of the Dementor's Kiss is revoked. Your belongings will be held until your release. Case closed." With a bang of his judge's hammer, Harry's fate was sealed._

_He didn't struggle as the aurors took him away. He felt his spirit break as he saw Ron staring at him with no sympathy in his eyes. He was holding on tightly to Hermione, who had her head buried in Ron's shoulder. So this was it. Their years of friendship had come to this. Sorrow worked its way into Harry's heart. He supposed he was not worth it to Ron and Hermione. He was not even worth the benefit of the doubt._

_"Well, well, well, Mr. Potter. What a surprise to see you here," Drawled a smooth, cold voice from behind Ron. Harry glanced up to find none other than Lucius Malfoy smirking down at him._

_"Although really, I must thank you, because you cleared my name after that… Terrible misunderstanding. It is a shame, however, that you chose the path you did," He trailed off, and for a moment, Harry thought he saw something flash in the older man's eyes. Sympathy. But moments later, it was gone. He was probably imagining it. Luckily, the guards decided that it was time to take him away. Bound, they dragged him away, into the boat that led to Azkaban, and the dementors. Already he could feel the good memories slipping away. It was as if a dementor was coming towards him. They were almost there. The island… He could hear his mother's screams, how his father died trying to protect them, how-_

Wolf's eyes snapped open, his breath coming in pants, his voice choking on a scream. Sweat covered his body as he trembled, trying to rid himself of the images. He shivered slightly, closing his eyes momentarily to calm himself, then opening them to find Naomi watching him with worried eyes.

"You dreamed again didn't you," she said softly, brown hair falling into her eyes. "You dreamed of when-" She stopped, and sighed. "I'm so sorry," She whispered, smoothing his hair away from his eyes. "It should never have happened to you," she gave a sad smile.

Harry shook his head, catching her hand gently, and squeezing it. "It's alright," he said with a slight smile. "Had it not happened, I never would have met Kai," he still remembered first meeting him. After a few months, they'd had to make more room, after capturing more and more Death Eaters. They'd put Harry in a cell with Kai.

It still amazed Harry at how much he had learned from Kai. The man was there for murder, but that didn't mean that he was a cold-hearted man. He was part of a gang called 'Ombres', and had been sent to kill a few people in England. Unfortunately, he had been caught. The French government, despite having indirectly hired him, had wanted nothing to do with him. He had been thrown in Azkaban for seven years. So, for six more years, Kai trained Harry, certain that he would be accepted into Ombres. When Kai was freed, Harry continued on his own. He still remembered the first time he had used wandless magic.

_The dementors were passing by his cell. He shivered, hugging his body closer. They were standing outside his cell, as if contemplating. He then heard the grating sound of iron against iron, as the door was unbolted, and opened. Two dementors walked in slowly. Harry crawled backwards desperately, but found himself with his back to the wall. The dementors reached for him. His mom was screaming._

_"No…" He whispered, putting a hand out as if to stop them. They were probably acting on Voldemort's orders. "No!" He screamed as one of them reached for him. Silver erupted from his fingers, and a stag knocked the tall figures away, their terrible screaming fading as the door banged closed. Harry whimpered, feeling cold, empty, as if he had nothing left. He smiled as Prongs came back, nuzzling his hand, before falling into the relief of darkness._

**A/N**: Edited March 4th, 2012.


	3. Never Remember

**Summary**: Framed for murder, Harry finds himself sentenced to Azkaban, as the wizarding world believes themselves rid of Voldemort forever. Only Harry knows the truth, but no one will believe him. Betrayed by friends, Harry finds out his true heritage, and disappears upon his release. After restarting his life in a completely new setting, he finds out that his past has no intention of leaving him alone.

**Disclaimer: I'm sure you all know it by now… Nothing you recognize is mine.**

**Chapter three: Never Remember**

As Naomi fell asleep once again, Harry sighed, staring at the ceiling. There was no point in falling asleep again; he'd just have more nightmares. His hand tightened around Naomi's. He had been so helpless… Had he told them that Voldemort was not really dead, they would have either condemned him as a raving lunatic, or as a loyal follower who believed that Voldemort would one day return again, and reward him for his loyalty. It would most likely be the latter.

Rolling over, he watched as Naomi's chest rose and fell in the rhythmic breathing of one who was asleep. A slight smile curved his lips as he swept away the strands of hair falling in her face, as she had done to him only a few minutes ago. She was special to him, and he knew that if anything were to happen to her, he would be devastated. He gave a slight grin, still remembering the first time he had met her.

_The effects of Azkaban were painfully visible on his body. His skin was clinging to the bones of his cheeks, creating a gaunt, almost ghost-like effect. Kai was off somewhere, flirting with the ladies. Sighing, he lifted the glass of whisky to his lips, when a hand stopped him._

_"Idiot, you really want to get drunk on whisky? It's wine that's better; you need more, and it tastes way better!" She grinned, taking away his whisky, and gulping it down herself. Ignoring his grumbling, she waved the bartender over. Speaking with her quick Quebec accent, she ordered a bottle of wine, and two glasses. Smirking mischievously at him, she winked._

_"The first to lose consciousness has to buy the hangover potion. Ready? Let's go!" She spoke in rapid French as she poured the wine for both of them, and the race was on._

Harry still wasn't sure how she could stomach quite that much wine. She'd downed two bottles while he had downed one, and was about to pass out, while she was still going at it. He frowned slightly. He had a hunch that it was because she had a bladder that could expand to amazing sizes, but he'd never dared ask her.

Harry found himself blinking as his eyes closed slowly, the soothing shadow of sleep stealing over him, until something tackled him on his bed, startling him awake again. The small bundle squealed happily.

"Happy birfday Papa!" Squealed Angel happily, hugging him as if wishing to show him how much she loved him by squeezing away all of his breath. He grinned, lifting her up with strong arms, as she squirmed and giggled.

"And how is it that an angel too young to fly remembers my birthday, but I don't?" He grinned, as he set her back down on his stomach.

"Because you're so forgetful," Said a reprimanding voice from beside him. Musical tones sounded amused as Naomi propped herself up on one elbow, watching him with an eyebrow raised. She smiled. "Happy birthday, Harry," She said softly.

Wolf blinked. She only called him Harry on special occasions. Really special occasions.

"So, what's the occasion then?" He asked, voicing his thoughts.

She smirked slightly. " It's been ten years since you found out who you truly were," she cocked her head slightly. "Isn't that worth celebrating?" She said, giving him a light kiss on the cheek.

"I'd say it deserves more than a kiss," He said, giving her a wishful grin.

She smirked.

Wolf paused. Now that he thought about it, it had been ten years since that day. No matter how bad Azkaban, he knew that that day had been one of the best in his life.

_Harry shivered as Kai rubbed his back soothingly. His whole body was tingling almost painfully. He felt… cold. Numb. But the numbness was not enough to take away the pain that was slowly growing stronger. His whole body felt as if it was slowly slowly freezing, with ice clawing its way up, and through him. He bit his lip all the way through, drawing blood. He didn't notice. It was all he could do not to scream._

_Soon, everything else seemed to disappear. It seemed that even Kai, who was still rubbing his back, was not there. He could feel magic coursing through him, searing its way through his body in channels, big and small. It was cold. Colder than ice; so cold that it burned. He whimpered slightly as he felt the air around him begin to freeze. He hoped that Kai had taken his hand away in time. It was painful, though the magic seemed to sooth him. Yes, soothing him, rocking him gently, as the impassive arms of darkness stole him from the light, his body relaxing into the strong limbs forever clinging._

_He'd woken up refreshed, though is body was still tingling with the aftermath. Later on, Kai informed him that he'd been passed out for nearly three days. But he noticed the changes almost immediately. He could hear... everything. The scuttling of a rat five cells to the right, the rustling of threadbare cloth seven cells to the left. Blinking, he removed his glasses, and the room came into sharp focus. Even his body seemed to be coping with the lack of nourishment better than it ever had before. Despite the fact that he hadn't been doing much exercise, his body seemed to be able to build up muscles more easily. The hours of quidditch had paid off in the end, though they never seemed to have before._

_He brushed some hair out of his face, and froze as his hand touch his ear. It was… Well, pointy! He found himself gaping at the darkness before him, as he felt the contour of his ears. They were longer -like an elf's ear. He glanced at Kai for an explanation, and found the man smiling brightly._

_"You," said the excited man, "Are a shadow elf!" He exclaimed, though only loud enough for Harry to hear. "That would explain the wandless magic, and the growing immunity to dementors and darkness!" Kai was grinning from ear to ear now, something Harry had never seen before, even when he'd shown a high level of skill in magic. "The coming-of-age for those who are not born of two elves is normally around twenty, though in your state, I'm not surprised that it came later. Lack of nourishment never helps anything," he commented dryly. "Shadow elves are related to the light-elves. Most of them have disappeared, as they are considered as dark creatures by many, especially wizards. They are rare, but powerful, and normally bond for life with other elves, normally shadow," he said, stating the obvious. "However, if one were to bond with a mortal, the mortal's life would be prolonged for many years, even up to two hundred, but eventually, they would die. But, since the Shadow elves are a différent race, they automatically have a différent mind set, and would most likely tire of being with mortals, thus making the bonded's death a very minor event." he gave a slight shrug._

_"Shadow elves control two elements. One that suits their nature, and the other is Shadow; just as all light elves control the Light element. However, the power of the Shadow element depends on the elf. It is normally balanced with the other element. The stronger the Shadow, the weaker the chosen element. There are a few exceptions, but it normally only arises when it is needed by others, in times of crisis. It takes a while to be able to fully control your elements, and often even more time to discover which element is yours, but I do believe that yours is water, seeing as your aura froze half of the cell," he said wryly, giving a slight chuckle. "We'll start your magic training today." Kai said decisively. "I doubt you'll ever have to use a wand again, though you can for show, if you do not want to advertise your powers. Shadow-stalking, elemental traveling, glamours, and shape-changing are only a few of the many magicks that Shadow elves can do. You normally have two shapes, one mythical, one not. You will find yours in due time," he smiled. "Though with you, I doubt it will take long," he added, leaning back against the wall, his hands behind his head. "Now, to begin… Let's meditate,"_

_Harry doubted he'd ever had lessons that were quite as tiring as those, but they were well worth it. Of course, they hadn't been able to practice much weaponry until Harry had perfected the art of creating objects out of what most would call thin air, though Harry simply took the moisture, and shaped it into whatever he wished. It was hard at first, and he often found himself exhausted after creating a simple dagger, but eventually, he found that he barely had to think, when it would appear in his hand. Dreadfully useful, if he had to say._

_Of course, he had yet to decide whether that skill was more useful, or if it was the fact that his elven magic had rejected the link with a mortal such as Voldemort(definitely deemed unworthy of a bond), and had, as Kai said, erased any trace at all. Harry's scar was gone. The mark that had cursed him in the first place had disappeared, leaving none the wiser, save him, Kai, and those he chose to tell. He was still a parselmouth, though he found that he could speak to many other animals as well, but that was probably elven magic. After all, he'd only tried truly speaking to snakes and birds, and it seemed that one didn't really need to speak to birds in their language for them to understand you._

Wolf blinked out of his flashback as Angel tugged his hair. She was a truly beautiful child. He was amazed at the fact that he and Naomi had succeeded in even having a child, for it was rare for any kind of elves to have them. But she was his pride and joy, alongside Naomi. Any elven blood would always dominate, erasing any traces of human origin. He was therefore surprised when it turned out to be Lily who had passed down the genes. Wolf's mother had hid it so well, even when she had first found out. James had never known. Wolf assumed that though he no longer had human blood, his human magic had not been scoured from his body.

He glanced at Naomi and smiled. She was his bonded, his life-mate. He had known immediately that she, too, was a shadow elf. He had found that his senses helped him identify others, including other species. When they had first met five years ago, something had stirred to life within his heart. His spirit came flickering back, a candle in the wind. Now it burned strongly alongside hers.

Smiling, he sat up, and set Angel on the floor. "Go get ready," he said to her, "And when you're done, we'll go greet the others," he grinned, as she raced of eagerly, leaving Wolf and Naomi to do the same. Proffering his hand, he helped Naomi off the bed, and into the bathroom, where they took quick showers and freshened up, finishing just as Angel burst back into the room.

"Papa, Papa!" She screamed, looking as if she was trying to hold back giggles. She hid behind Wolf as he walked out of the room. He found himself face-to-face with an angry-looking man whose long hair was braided, looping around and finished off with bright pink bows, making him look like an old-style typical German woman. Harry found himself hard-pressed not to laugh. His lips twitched slightly before he could stop them.

"Why Kai, when you said that you wanted a new hairstyle, I had no idea that you meant something so… Feminine. You should have asked Angel to help you with that; she's wonderful with hairstyles," he murmured, tilting his head slightly as he inspected the work. It was rather well done, he had to admit. Not a hair was out of place.

Kai sputtered, as Naomi burst out laughing, not deeming it necessary to control it as her bonded did. Unable to say anything that was not incoherent, he gave up by throwing up his arms and sighing in frustration. Harry gave a slight chuckle, before turning to Angel.

"Seeing as Kai doesn't quite approve of his new hairstyle, why don't you be a dear and fix it for him?" He said, unable to hold back a grin. It was probable that Angel was the only one who could truly fix his hairstyle with ease, and without embarrassing him too much. She smiled brightly.

"Of course!" She grinned, showing her baby teeth. She scrunched her face up, and with a slight popping noise, Kai's blond hair returned to its normal shoulder-length cut, though it was wavier than normal. Angel smiled innocently. "There you go, pony!" She giggled. While she could fool many, Harry could clearly see the mischievous glint in her eye.

Kai sighed, shaking his head slightly. "I don't think I'll ever get used to it," he mumbled into his hands. Kai was a wizard. While he did not have the power that, say, Dumbledore had, he was still quite good. His animagus form happened to be a horse, and Angel never let him forget it.

Angel herself was a special case. She had come into her elven powers rather quickly, and it seemed that she had inherited some of Harry's wizarding powers as well, for she was rather adept at using a few simple forms of magic, even at her young age. Apparently elven children matured faster than most.

Still laughing, Naomi began walking again. "Come," She said, "I'm quite sure we're not the only ones who want to wish Wolf a happy birthday," she said, grinning. Wolf was what everyone called Harry. Except for Angel, of course, who called him Papa, and Naomi, when she was either extremely angry, or extremely happy. Kai had dubbed him Wolf when he had discovered that one of his forms was that of a wolf. Unfortunately, Kai wasn't quite able to explain the full concept, and Harry had been stuck halfway through to the form of a wolf for a few days, until he was able to figure out how to change completely.

Kai had found it so hilarious, that he had given Harry a name that would remind him of it wherever he went. Though, looking back upon those few days, Harry had to admit that it was rather funny. And in the gloom of Azkaban, it was rare that anything was funny. He was glad that he had given Kai that little bit of mirth. Not that Kai found it any less hilarious now, but that was of no consequence, until Kai had told Naomi.

Well, Harry supposed that 'half-breed mutt' wasn't quite as much of an insult now as it had been before he'd been imprisoned… Before he'd been betrayed by those he'd loved, before- He shook his head mentally, berating himself. There was no point in going back to those memories. That time was gone. It had disappeared the moment he had been thrown in Azkaban. He hadn't seen them in years, and he was better off now than then. Those days were gone forever, but he had no regrets about leaving them behind. With a cheerful grin that wasn't all that common on his face, he strolled after the others, finding himself rather excited for the day of celebration.

**A/N**: Edited: March 4th, 2012. Thank you for reading!


	4. Confrontation

**Summary**: Framed for murder, Harry finds himself sentenced to Azkaban, as the wizarding world believes themselves rid of Voldemort forever. Only Harry knows the truth, but no one will believe him. Betrayed by friends, Harry finds out his true heritage, and disappears upon his release. After restarting his life in a completely new setting, he finds out that his past has no intention of leaving him alone.

**Disclaimer: I'm sure you all know it by now… Nothing you recognize is mine.**

**Thanks to all for the reviews!**

And to **Allyanna**: I'll definitely try to fit it in somewhere! I had half-planned to put something about it in. I'm not sure how much later it will be, but I guess it only makes sense to put it in xP.

**Chapter four: Confrontation**

"Happy birthday, Wolf," Naomi handed Harry an oval bundle with a big fat ribbon tied neatly on top. Raising a quizzical eyebrow, he took the package. They normally didn't get each other birthday presents, seeing as they could never find anything to ask for. Seeing her mischievous grin, he opened the wrapped parcel warily. It wasn't that heavy, and it felt solid enough…

The wrapping came away to reveal a newspaper with a picture consisting of moving images, and text titled with the words:

**The Boy-Who-Died?**

Wolf found himself staring at it, puzzled, until he came to his senses and read the text underneath.

_The body of The-Boy-Who-Live, or more commonly known as The-Boy-Who-Betrayed, was found last night in the slum streets of England, writes Rita Skeeter, reporter from the Daily Prophet. The body was found by Ronald Weasley, one of the highest-ranking aurors._

Wolf bit back a laugh. Highest-ranking auror? He wondered what else he had been bribed with to betray Wolf. Ron hadn't received enough OWLS to become an auror.

_Mr. Weasley found the body in the gutter, filled with multiple holes, and small pieces of metal which were confirmed to be bullet holes. The only comment that Mr. Weasley gave was 'Good riddance,' before apparating home to his beloved wife, muggle-born Hermione Granger, and his two children._

_Few mourn, while the majority of the wizarding population celebrates at the death of the traitor. Hundreds of wizards will feel much safer in their homes. The body has been burned due to the lack of any place to bury it without disgracing the other wizards with its presence._

Wolf stared at the picture of the smoke rising from a rather small thin-looking body, and wizards crowded around, glee written all over their faces. He saw Dumbledore, eyes twinkling, until he decided that he didn't want to be in the picture, and hurried off.

Tossing the paper at Kai, who looked puzzled at Wolf's incredulous look, Wolf tossed his head back and laughed. It wasn't long before Kai had joined in, as well as a few others who had come to congratulate Wolf. Wiping away a tear that threatened to spill from laughter, he grinned.

"Good riddance indeed," He murmured, before turning to Naomi. "I couldn't have asked for a better present!" He said, pulling her close and giving her a sound kiss on the lips. Grinning at the whistles and claps, he pulled back. "How did you do it?"

She shrugged. "The log had a rather good semblance of the old you," she grinned at his face of mock-anger.

"You used a log to impersonate me?" He was not sure if he should feel grateful or offended.

"Well, you have to admit that you were rather… well, twiggy back then," She smirked slightly as he scowled at her, while the others laughed. Deciding that a quick change of topic was in need, he switched it to his plans for the day.

"I was thinking of doing a bit of traveling today," he said, with a slight grin as Angel's face lit up. "Muggle style," he finished, and Angel gave a squeal of joy. "We've lived in France for a few years now, and we still haven't been to Paris," he smiled, picking up Angel, and setting her on his shoulders. "I rented two cars," he said, giving Kai and the others a slight shrug. "I thought that you guys might want to take the chance and go as well," He tilted his head slightly, before walking out the door, while Angel tried to braid his hair.

They arrived in Paris a few hours later, somehow managing to find a parking spot for the car. Their first stop was the Eiffel Tower, which Angel decided was worth climbing. Unfortunately, she got too tired a quarter of the way up, and had to be carried, lest she exhaust herself so much that she would fall down the stairs and be forever lost, or so she said. Kai and the others had gone to 'get some coffee' from one of the cafes. Wolf had a sneaking suspicion that it was because they would take a while. Of course, climbing all the stairs wasn't always that much fun.

Stopping at one of the rest points, Wolf helped Angel balance on the railing, looking over the wonderful view of France. He leaned his weight against the railing, while Angel pointed out the prettiest buildings she could find to Naomi. He was about to point out a particularly colourful one, when he heard voices just to his left.

"…great idea we came here to celebrate his death?" For a moment Wolf frowned, trying to put a face to the voice.

"Yes, I suppose it was, although it's not like it was You-Know-Who's death…"

"Well it might as well have been," came the rather venomous reply.

"I know his betrayal was hard on you, Ron, but..." the woman's voice trailed off, seeming unsure.

Wolf's eyes narrowed. Ron. Ron and Hermione were here… Celebrating his death? He lifted his head slightly and gave a low laugh, though it was fairly quiet. It did, however seem to attract the attention of Ron, who, for some reason, seemed to think that it was directed at him. Of course, in this case, that was true, but Wolf could have easily been talking to his family.

"Oi, you, what's so funny?" Came the slightly angry voice.

Wolf took the time to pause, turn his head, and put on a mocking yet puzzled expression. "Oh," he said innocently. "You mean me?" He asked, cocking a brow in question.

Ron frowned. "Yes, you. What's so funny? You were laughing at us," he glared, standing tall, doing his best to look intimidating, yet arrogant. Almost like Malfoy, though Wolf had to admit that at least for the Malfoys, it came naturally, and it…well, sometimes worked. Unfortunately, in Ron's case, it didn't.

Wolf tilted his head slightly. "How do you know I was?" He asked lazily, inspecting his fingernails, doing his best to look bored, while inside, he was laughing. He had attracted Naomi's attention, and she was watching him sharply, though he was sure that there was a glint of amusement in her eyes.

"Well, obviously you heard our conversation," insisted Ron, glaring slightly. "You weren't paying attention to your daughter and wh-wife," he attempted a sneer. The key word was attempted.

Wolf's eyes darkened at Ron's choice of wording, despite the fact that he'd corrected himself. He let it go, however, deciding that baiting was much more fun than being baited, though the temptation to hex his so-called best friend into the next week was extremely tempting.

"Well, I'd be surprised if no one else heard the words coming from your big loud mouth. In fact, I'm pretty sure you never have to yell; people can hear you from miles around without even trying," he smirked slightly, taking that slight joy in Ron's burning face. The Weasleys always were quick to blush and to anger.

"You don't know who you're messing with," said Ron, stepping forward, eyes narrowed. "You'd better watch out or-"

"Oh no, Weasley, I think it's the other way around," he stared coldly at the redhead. "I think that you don't know who you're messing with," he stated calmly, watching in satisfaction as the man spluttered, trying to figure out how this complete stranger knew his name. "Oh yes, the youngest Weasley brother. One of the top aurors," he sneered. "Once upon a time you were best friends with The Boy-Who-Lived, were you not? Before you turned your back on him, that is. My, what a loyal friend." Wolf drawled, eyes half-lidded. "What a respectable citizen..." he murmured.

"Look, I don't take well to being threatened, so you'd best take yourself and your…" Ron's face registered a look of disgust, before speaking the next word, "family, and leaving us in peace," he glared, straightening himself up to his full height, using the fact that he was indeed a bit taller than Wolf to his advantage. Well, he tried, anyway. Wolf's features hardened into a cold, unforgiving mask. He caught Hermione staring at him, an odd look on her face, as his eyes met hers. He looked away.

"And I do not take well to people who betray in cold blood, condemning those who are innocent, exploiting others, for their own purposes. Now might I suggest you take your wife and children home, before you get hurt," He hissed, eyes flashing dangerously. "I'm sure that your family values their excuse of a father, and would not want to return home without one," Ron flinched visibly, and stepped back. He pointed a shaking finger at Wolf.

"I don't care who you are, or why you're acting like this, but y-you messed with the wrong person!" he warned, as he stepped back again, then herded his worried-looking wife and curious-looking children as far away from Wolf as possible.

Wolf looked away, closing his eyes momentarily. He could feel the anger bubbling in his stomach. He had known that it would be hard to confront those from his past, but he hadn't though it would be this hard. His body felt hot, yet cold at the same time, as if dread was filling him, a few minutes after their meeting, instead of a few minutes before.

He forced himself to relax, as he felt a strange emotion jutting into his heart, feeling like it was trying to rip it apart. He gave a slight frown, unsure of what it was that he felt, when it came to him: Pain. Emotional pain at the betrayal. The sudden realisation that Ron truly had betrayed him; there was no mistake about it. Deep down he had hoped that It wasn't true-that Ron hadn't actually betrayed him, but now, he knew the truth. He knew that there was no going back to those he had loved before.

He felt a hand rest on his shoulder, and turned to find Naomi smiling sadly up at him.

"It's never easy," she said softly, rubbing his shoulder with her thumbs. He stroked her hair gently. "Nothing ever is," she sighed, just as Angel came running towards them, a small white dove held in her hands.

"Mommy, Daddy, look at what flew into my hands! Can we keep her? Please?" She said, as the dove turned its head towards them, as if also pleading. Naomi glanced at Wolf's tormented face and laughed.

"How could we say no?" She grinned.

"Come on," Said Angel, "There's still more of Paris to see!"

_-Silver Shadows-_

Hermione stared at the newspaper in her hand. Yet her eyes didn't seem to want to focus on the words printed. But she knew what it said. Harry Potter was dead. Now she was getting paranoid. Everywhere she looked, she expected Harry to walk out alive, as he had all those times before. But that would never happen.

She closed her eyes, the immediate image of the silver-haired stranger flashing across her vision. His eyes… They'd reminded her so much of Harry. The brilliant green, flashing with emotions unspoken. But they'd been controlled so easily, it seemed. Glittering in the sunlight, he'd hidden away all feelings before she could even attempt to read them. The moment their eyes had met, she thought she would burst into tears. But she'd managed to hold it in, and stare back at him long enough, before he looked away and threatened Ron.

Ron had been furious. Hermione had sent the kids to their rooms to play, while she did her best to calm him down. He was still muttering under his breath about disrespect for their protectors. The man was obviously a wizard (and most likely a law-breaking one in Ron's opinion). He had seen through Hermione's well-cast notice-me-not muggle-repelling charm.

She flipped through the newspaper, glancing momentarily at the small insignificant article of the death of an auror and his family, paling in comparison to the death of Harry Potter, whom they had not seen in ages. She shook her head slightly, before placing the newspaper back on the table as Ron came back into the room.

"Dumbledore's called a meeting," He said, walking towards the floo. "The kids can't come," he took a pinch of floo powder, and was gone with the words '12 Grimmauld Place'.

Hermione stared. Dumbledore hadn't called a meeting in years. Why would he suddenly call one now?

**Author's Note**: Edited March 4th, 2012. Thank you for reading!


	5. Discovery

**Summary**: Framed for murder, Harry finds himself sentenced to Azkaban, as the wizarding world believes themselves rid of Voldemort forever. Only Harry knows the truth, but no one will believe him. Betrayed by friends, Harry finds out his true heritage, and disappears upon his release. After restarting his life in a completely new setting, he finds out that his past has no intention of leaving him alone.

**Disclaimer: I'm sure you all know it by now… No character you recognize are mine. Simple as that.**

**Thanks to all for the reviews!**

**Special note to:**

jabarber69 Thanks for the wonderful review! thx for all the feedback xD

Sakya: Glad you like the story You'll just have to read on to find out (heh)

Firebirdgs: It's his job basically. I know that the whole setting hasn't really been explained, but it shall be

**Chapter 5: Discovery**

Kingsley sighed and rubbed his temples, staring at the names of the dead aurors on his list. Most were halfbloods, though there were some purebloods.

Vendra, Taylor; O'neill, Olland; Lance, Mary; Dennet, Ray; Esther, Ivan; Mitchell, Dean; Omin, Daniel; Renay, Lawrence; Thomas, Evan.

He stared at the names, the letters beginning to blur and double, crossing over each other, forming new words until he was forced to blink a few times to clear his cross-eyed vision. He closed his eyes for a moment, before taking a sip of butterbeer (The strongest drink he could afford to drink with his work at the moment) and went back to work. A few minutes later, he felt his heart stop. He stared at the names again, his heart beating so loudly he was surprised that no one came rushing in. It couldn't be. With a shaking hand, he reached for his quill, and wrote a shaky note to Tonks, telling her to see him immediately.

Bill frowned. "I don't think Harry was guilty…" he began, scratching the back of his head. Beside him, Charlie nodded his agreement. The twins glanced up in surprise.

"You too? We thought we were the only ones," Said Fred, glancing at George, each sharing identical surprised looks.

Bill shook his head. "It doesn't make sense. Harry was fighting to save lives, not to take them. He wasn't the kind of kid who would go around killing people. In fact," He said with a wry smile, "It makes me wonder if he would have been able to kill Voldemort in the end, had the explosion not happened." He sighed and shrugged. "We still don't know who cast that curse, but it definitely wasn't Harry." He rubbed his eyes slowly. "I just don't understand how everyone believed it was him," he said bitterly. "Now it's too late. He's gone." He raked a hand through his hair. "But I suppose there's no point in wallowing in sorrow. Harry would have wanted us to go on." The other three nodded in agreement.

A few moments later, there was a flash of flame, and the others started to arrive. Lupin arrived first, looking rather haggard and gaunt as usual, then followed by Moody, Tonks, Molly and Arthur. The others trickled in slowly until all the members were present. Ron was still grumbling something about a certain silver-haired prat, while Hermione was looking worried. Tonks and Shacklebolt were still working on their auror business, unable to get away.

After a few more minutes, Dumbledore appeared with a fresh burst of flames, one hand on his long wizard's hat, the other out to stop himself from falling head-first onto the floor.

Dumbledore glanced up at the group of waiting people. "Well," He said, the familiar twinkle sparkling in his eye, "Shall we start this meeting?" He said, rhetorically. He waved his wand a few times, making sure that no one who was not supposed to be there could listen or read lips.

"As you all know," began Dumbledore, "Harry Potter," a few people glanced around nervously, "is dead." Ron nodded, while a few relaxed at the fact that Dumbledore had said it out loud, without being struck down by lightning. Remus looked pained, as he stared at his hands upon hearing the announcement.

"Serves him right, the traitor," Spat Ron, still wound up about the stranger in Paris.

Bill frowned but refrained from speaking. The twins fidgeted, but didn't speak up either. It was obvious that Charlie was holding back words unfit for use.

"However," Dumbledore spoke once the din had died down, people still muttering amongst each other. "I tested the ashes, and they did not match to Harry. In fact," Dumbledore frowned, "They matched to that of a log." He finished, while the four elder Weasley brothers looked ready to burst out laughing. Harry had somehow fooled them all. He was still alive after all! Bill felt Fleur squeeze his hand in hope, and gave a comforting smile, while managing to look worried about her safety at the same time.

"Alive?" Ron growled. "After what he did? Surely you are joking," he scowled. "He killed Ginny. For that, he deserves to die."

Dumbledore sighed. "There is nothing we can do, Mr Weasley. We will simply have to keep watching out. Make sure that The Burrow is still safe. Harry does not know that Sirius left all this in his possession. He will not try to take it back. You will be safe here, if all else fails." He gave everyone a comforting smile, the twinkle ever bright in his eyes.

Ron was muttering something about 'first silver-haired freaks, now traitors', when Hermione's eyes widened.

"Ron- That silver-haired stranger- he must have known! That's why he was laughing at us! He knew that Harry was alive! Otherwise he wouldn't have laughed, would he?" She gasped, her hand over her mouth. "So that would mean that he is in league with Harry!" She glanced almost fearfully at Ron, who looked positively livid.

"The bloody git! I'll kill him!" He growled, his face reddening in anger.

"Silver 'aired?" Questioned Fleur, looking curious.

"Yeah, so? What are you going to do, seduce him?" Sneered Ron, ignoring the angry glare from Bill. Ron had not really taken much of a liking to Fleur, even though she had been nice to him. Maybe it was because she had chosen Bill over him.

"You were in France, n'est-ce pas?" She said cautiously, not wanting to upset Ron.

He grunted in confirmation.

"There is a silver 'aired man 'oo lives in France 'oo I 'ave seen." She gave a slight frown, as if trying to remember. "I saw 'im at a club that my sister wanted me to go to." She looked slightly nervous as she explained the next part. "'E was a dancer, and 'e waited on tables as well. From what I 'eard, 'e is the leader of a gang called Ombres, or Shadows, in English. It is a ruthless gang, and few dare to get mixed up in business with them. It is compiled of both wizards and muggles, and is rumoured to 'ave other creatures in it as well." She shrugged, looking down at her hands. "They said that 'e works because 'e does not see 'imself as 'igher than everyone else. 'E 'as much respect and power," She glanced up again. "'e came from Quebec in Canada three years ago, from their allied gang. 'E is around twenty-five years old, and 'as a bonded and child… 'E is not married," She shrugged again. "That is about all I know,"

"And you know this… how?" Asked Ron, suspiciously.

"My sister's friend knew quite a lot," She gave Ron a steady look, from which he broke away first.

"Well, I guess…" He said grudgingly, straightening his chair, before sitting back down, putting an arm around Hermione, who still looked troubled.

"Does that mean we can find Harry?" Asked Remus, sitting forward slightly, a glint of hope in his eyes. Bill exchanged a glance with Charlie. Harry probably wouldn't want to be found.

"There is no reason for us to have to find Harry," Said Dumbledore, with a slight frown of disapproval.

Remus sunk back into his chair. "Right," He muttered, his eyes dulling slightly.

Bill gave an inaudible sigh. Remus hadn't really recovered from Harry's 'betrayal', and while he doubted that Remus believed Harry guilty, the whole ordeal hadn't been easy on the poor werewolf. Not to mention that not many people had been very kind to him. It appeared that he had stuck up for Harry, and had been put down one too many times. He looked about ready to crack. Bill felt a twinge of sympathy, but knew that there was little to nothing he could do about it. Even with Fleur, he doubted he could find Harry, and if he was involved with gangs, it could get rather dangerous. He didn't want to put any of them at risk.

There was a crash, and Mrs Black's portrait started screeching at the top of her lungs. The sound of Tonk's curses, and a 'Shut up you old hag' did nothing to help the noise. Tonks hurried in, eyes rather wide, and her hair rainbow-striped. Once Dumbledore and Molly managed to silence Mrs Black, Tonks stood up from the chair she had been resting in, looking rather nervous.

"What's wrong, did the portrait scare the poor little auror?" Snickered Ron, receiving an elbow in the ribs from Hermione, and a glare from Tonks.

"There's something you should all know," She said rather quietly, almost fearfully. She glanced at Dumbledore, giving a slight shiver. "V-v-v-Voldemort is not dead" She squeaked out, face pale, as she collapsed into her chair, drawing shuddering breaths.

There was a collective silence in which all faces moved from Tonk's shuddering frame, to Dumbledore's face. It was an unreadable mask.

"Are you sure?" He said quietly, his voice breaking the tension like shattering glass.

"Yes," She said, fear evident in her eyes. "The murdering of the aurors- They were Voldemort's doing-him and his Death Eaters." A few people flinched at his name, but more were horrified.

"How do you know for sure? We found his remains… Potter killed him…" Said Ron, though his face was rather pale.

Tonks glanced around, then down. "It was confirmed. Even Fudge saw the truth," she said softly. "Harry was innocent," She all but whispered, the words barely reaching the ears of those farthest away.

There was silence, then a moan emitted from Molly, as she cradled her head in her hands.

"He was framed," An accusing gaze shot towards Dumbledore, as Tonks continued to speak. "He was framed, just like Sirius! And you didn't even see it!" Her voice was getting louder and louder, until she was almost screaming. She felt the sting of tears pricking her eyes. "How could you not see it? Harry would never do something like that! How could you turn your backs on him so easily?" A tear was running down her face.

Everyone, even Dumbledore was staring at her, aghast. Never before had they seen her this emotional.

"Once you'd used him as you wished-to get rid of Voldemort, you decided that he wasn't worth the risk, and put him away in Azkaban? You know how badly the Dementors affected him… And yet you felt no remorse locking him away to what most likely contributed greatly to his death?" Tonks whispered the last part harshly, staring down at her trembling hands. She herself was shocked. She hadn't thought that she would let her emotions run away like this. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up. Remus was looking at her sadly.

"Tonks… Harry… Harry is alive. He's not dead… He faked his death," He gave a slight smile, as Tonks stared at him in amazement.

"He… You… Not dead?" She exclaimed, springing to her feet, the subject of Voldemort momentarily forgotten. "The little bugger! I'll kill him when I find him-" She stopped, giving a slight frown. "So then… No one knows where he is…" She sighed and shook her head. "I guess everyone really screwed this up," She sat back down in her chair.

"Well, we might have an idea as to how to find him…" Said Molly, who was only now coming out of her shock.

"We have to find him. We need him to help us fight Voldemort," said Dumbledore, a slight frown marring his brow.

"He'd better come." Snarled Ron, still rather shocked about the whole incident.

"You think he'll come?" Said Charlie, cautiously. "After all that has happened to him- why would he come back? To relive the memories of everything that happened? I doubt it," he said, shrugging slightly. "Don't get your hopes up too high," he sighed. "Somehow I think we're on our own for this war."

"He wouldn't dare leave us alone!" Exclaimed Ron, standing up suddenly.

"Why would he come back?" Countered Charlie.

Ron spluttered for a few moments. "He's just a coward. He's too scared to face You-know-who!"

"Now now," Came the voice of Dumbledore, before anyone could reply. "I'm sure he will come back. I will find a way to persuade him; but first we must find him. "Ronald, Severus, I'm sure that you two are up for the job," He smiled, eyes twinkling once again. "I'm sure it would be nice for him to be greeted first by a friend, as well as a mentor," he said, to placate the two furious-looking men.

"Professor, perhaps-"

"Mr Lupin, I assure you. These two will be able to handle this mission. Do not worry, I assure you that you will be able to see Harry again soon," He smiled again, before disappearing with a popping sound, escaping the chaos that started with Professor McGonagall's "Well!"

_-Silver Shadows-_

It was not until almost a week later that the news was brought to the general public. In both the muggle and wizarding worlds, he was deemed not guilty of charges. In the muggle world, it was just another death. In the wizarding world, it was one shock upon another. Many mourned the loss of their saviour, despite the fact that they had been dead certain that he was a Death Eater many years prior.

"You're famous again," Said Noir, one of the gang members, as he tossed a newspaper at Wolf, his face an unreadable mask. Curious, Wolf unrolled the newspaper.

**_Boy-who-betrayed… Framed?_**

**_Recent discoveries have found that the one that all called The-Boy-Who-Betrayed has been proven innocent. Given the pardon by the Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, as well as Headmaster of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardly Albus Dumbledore, the wizarding world is informed of Harry Potter's innocence, one week too late. Writes Rita Skeeter, of The Daily Prophet._**

_After investigating many clues, Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks recently discovered that it was not Harry Potter who fired that terrible curse, but instead either He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, or one of his loyal Death Eaters. But then, if it was not brave Mr Potter, did He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named truly die? His remains were found, his wand snapped, as it was thought to be Harry Potter's, but how could The-Boy-Who-Lived be the only one to survive out of so many? Cornelius Fudge has given no further details as to the incident, but from all of us here at The Daily Prophet, we warn against going anywhere alone, and to be extra careful at night._

_Many mourn the death of The-Boy-Who-Lived, and many wonder what will happen if the wizarding world is attacked by those loyal to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Will they be able to protect themselves without the talented wizard's help?_

Harry stared at the paper. It was the oddest newspaper article he had ever read. To make it even more confusing, it was Rita Skeeter who had written it.

"So they found out," Mused Naomi, reading from over his shoulder.

Harry nodded. "Shacklebolt… Tonks… Not too surprised that they were the ones who figured it out," he said, with a slight grimace. At least it wasn't Ron. He'd probably hide it from everyone to save face. He tossed the paper back onto the table for Kai and the others to read.

Naomi helped Angel onto her lap, as the small girl reached for a piece of toast covered in honey. She had only taken a few bites, when the doors burst open.

"Wolf," Someone said quietly, as a man was dragged in. "Ashen has something to tell you," An almost cruel smile lit the lips of the man who spoke, before he pushed the man to the floor in front of Harry, who was now standing, face cold and impassive.

"I… I…" The man whimpered, obviously in pain from something that happened beforehand. With the tip of his boot, Wolf lifted the man's chin, and stared into his face.

"Betrayal," was the first word out of Wolf's mouth. The large room of the pub fell silent at the word. The man whimpered. With a kick, he went flying, landing on his back. Wolf pressed his foot into Ashen's chest, one of his hands slowly detaching his katana from its sheath across his back, and pressing the hungry blade against the man's spasming throat. "Who did you tell," he murmured, leaning forward, his sword immobilizing any movement from the man's head.

"No one-I swear! It was-" Crack! Harry's foot dug in, pressing against one of the man's ribs, breaking it with a loud snap. The man whimpered, his breath laboured as he tried to minimize the pain. Tears fell from his eyes, and he was pleading in incomprehensible words.

"Tell me," Hissed Harry again. "You know that I don't take well to many things, but betrayal is the worst," His breath misted from the cold he was emitting. Ashen moaned in fear.

"T-t-two p-p-people… Th-they had hoods on, th-their f-f-faces w-were c-covered!" Another snap, and a muted scream. "One h-had r-red h-hair a-and l-l-lots of freckles! H-he s-s-seemed a-angry! Th-the other h-had black g-greasy h-hair. Th-they threatened m-me w-with w-wands! Th-they w-w-were g-gonna k-kill me!" He squeaked out, eyes clouded with pain. "P-p-please…" He whimpered again, as the pain intensified. Harry's eyes flashed. Snape, and- Ron? Most likely; Ashen had said that he'd seemed angry.

"You think that death is bad?" Asked Harry, his voice an icy wind. "Death is relief. Death is the coward's way out. Death," He said venomously, "Is not something you will be getting yet." He stood up, and nodded to Veran, the one who had brought him in. The man grabbed one of Ashen's arms, and dragged him away, ignoring the whimpering and occasional scream.

The noise in the pub eventually rose again, the atmosphere seeming satisfied on the punishment. It was mostly filled with members of Wolf's gang, but a few allied people were there, as well as those who were not accepted elsewhere, but had no interest in being part of any gang. They all knew their leader's dislikes, and they all knew that to him, betrayal was the worst sin one could commit. They would back him up, no matter what the punishment.

Sheathing his sword, he sighed silently, and turned towards the doors that lead away from the room. He felt Naomi's presence, and then her hand on his shoulder. He turned to face her, but was unable to produce a smile.

"He didn't know enough to reveal much. The others aren't stupid enough to tell anyone anything anyway. They know the rules." Harry spoke softly, not wanting to alarm Angel, who had just wandered in after being sent away for a few minutes while Harry dealt with Ashen.

Naomi nodded, her hand slipping off of Harry's shoulder to grab Angel's small hand. Giving him a reassuring smile, she turned, leading Angel back to her abandoned breakfast. With a slight nod, Harry exited the room, heading towards the Shadow Room. Whenever people went in, there was always at least one who never came out.

**Author's Note:** Edited March 4th, 2012. Thank you for reading!


	6. Not so bad, after all

**Summary**: Framed for murder, Harry finds himself sentenced to Azkaban, as the wizarding world believes themselves rid of Voldemort forever. Only Harry knows the truth, but no one will believe him. Betrayed by friends, Harry finds out his true heritage, and disappears upon his release. After restarting his life in a completely new setting, he finds out that his past has no intention of leaving him alone.

**Disclaimer: I'm sure you all know it by now… No character you recognize is mine. Simple as that.**

**THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU to all the reviewers! Wow, I received AMAZING reviews! Thank you all so much!**

**Chapter 6: Not so bad, after all**

"Look," snapped the infuriated red-head. "We've been looking for weeks, and nothing has come up, besides one pathetic moron who doesn't even know enough to be helpful! I say we get Fleur to show us where the clubs are, and just bust them. They're probably doing something illegal anyway. Get the ministry in on them, and they'll have no way of escaping. Then we can find out all we want," He shrugged slightly. "It's the simplest way. He's probably not innocent of crime anymore, anyway" He smirked.

"What's this, the top auror gone soft?" He sneered, in a cool voice. "Can't seem to track down such a simple prey? Not to mention being unable to come up with good plans and solutions. Thinking of endangering Fleur? Making her show us a club that may not even belong to them anymore? It's not hard to imagine what could happen to someone who is part veela down here," He said silkily, making Ron squirm under his intense gaze. "Patience is simply one of the many characteristics you lack, Weasley. Besides, that gang member told us that he's working tomorrow for sure." They both failed to notice the slight smile appearing on the face of the man sitting next to them, a rather wolfish grin, a wolf-like fang glinting slightly from underneath the dark hood. Standing up, the man sauntered away, leaving the spot free. It was filled almost immediately.

"Ooh, don't we look lonely," Purred the woman, crossing her slender legs from underneath the short black skirt. The small top that she wore did little to cover her breasts, and even less as she leaned over, so that she could face both of them, long black hair framing her rather pale face, contrasting with her crystal blue eyes.

Snape was trying to ignore Ron's fixed stare, and the wonderfully intoxicating perfume that seemed to lull all his senses to dreamy desire.

"Looking for something?" She smiled, trailing her hand down her opposite arm slowly, making Ron smirk.

"Well, we were looking for some stupid silver-haired, green-eyed git, but no matter," He said, leaning forward, leering slightly.

The woman put on a surprised face. "Silver-haired? Green-eyed?" She said, like a curious child. "Why, he was just sitting here a few minutes before I came!" She tilted her head slyly. "But he's off work right now," She smiled. "You won't get any services from him today, buddy-boy, sorry to disappoint you," She winked. "If I had known that you swung that way, I wouldn't have bothered you." She yawned slightly and stretched, ignoring Ron's sputtered protests. "As it is, I do believe I shall leave you in peace," She winked at Ron's agape expression, and smiled at Severus, though it was hard to tell if it reached her eyes. "No one likes wolf hunters," She whispered softly, loud enough only for the two aurors to hear, though only Severus listened. Ron was still staring at her wistfully, as she turned and left through the same doors that Wolf had used.

Coughing loudly to rid the other of the dreamy look, Severus gave a slight scowl. Ron jumped and gave a rather guilty look.

"You, err… Won't tell Hermione… Will you?" He asked nervously, his eyes darting everywhere except for the Potions Master's face.

_-Silver Shadows-_

Wolf looked up from his glass of simple firewhisky as Rei walked in. She tossed her black hair over her shoulder, letting it settle just past her waist. He raised an eyebrow in question, and she smirked.

"Ronald-you said his name was?" She queried, continuing at Wolf's affirmative nod. "Married, is he?" She smirked, "Certainly didn't hesitate on getting an eye-full while away from his beloved wife," Long canines glinting slightly, as she bared her teeth in a feral grin.

Wolf shook his head. "Didn't expect him to," he gave an inaudible sigh. "So Snape won't give up, and Ron won't back down because of Snape. I suppose… I could give them an audience. Perhaps then they'll disappear. He rubbed his temple gently. "One can hope," he muttered.

Rei sighed. "I'm sorry Wolf, honey. I wish things were different," she laid a hand on his arm comfortingly.

He looked up at her and smiled. "Do not worry, Rei of Light," He grinned, teasing her. She was one of the first people he had met when he had gotten out of Azkaban. She'd helped him through more than a few tough times. For a while they'd considered a romantic relationship, but it hadn't worked out so well. Of course, her being a vampire didn't improve the situation either, thus the irony in the name. "It'll be okay in the end," He finished comfortingly, receiving a roll of the eyes and a light slap on her arm, before she grinned and walked away, leaving him with his thoughts.

"They just don't give up, do they?" Sighed Noir, as he slipped into place beside Wolf. "I think you could have some fun with them though," He grinned slightly, brown eyes twinkling mischievously, though Wolf knew that it was more than that.

Wolf cocked his head slightly, and was about to reply, when Veran and Teren walked up. Teren was one of the younger members of the gang, and was not quite as involved in all of the dealings as the older members. He was, however, loyal almost to a fault, and was trustworthy to boot. He was nice kid if you got to know him personally. He was always suspicious until he got to know you better. At sixteen years of age, he was already fairly adept at fighting, though mostly in street brawls and the like. But he did have a few sets of throwing knives, and a gun just in case. He rarely used them, though.

"So you can take care of Angel tomorrow?" Asked Wolf, as a way of greeting the two.

Teren nodded and grinned. No matter how suspicious he looked, with dark hair covering his equally dark eyes and his face already marred with a scar running across his left cheek, he was truly one of the best baby-sitters Wolf had ever come across.

Veran grunted his response. He was more the type who listened, rather than talked.

"Thank you," Wolf bowed his head slightly in thanks. Both he and Naomi were working the next day, and neither could avoid it to take care of Angel.

"You'll owe me," grunted Veran, causing Wolf to grin.

"That I will, that I will," He replied. Veran was known to ask for the strangest favours, but it was best not to question his tastes. Veran was a wizard, though he didn't really seem like the typical image of one. While he did not have the strongest spells, his reflexes and physical strength made up for it, as well as his capability to respond to situations. Of course, he often simply asked the owing person for a game or two of poker, which he almost always ended up winning-along with all the money involved.

_-Silver Shadows-_

The next day, Wolf tightened the final strap on his now-complete outfit, stretching lightly as he prepared himself for his upcoming performance. The tight leather pants were surprisingly stretchy, and would not rip, nor hinder his movement. With a variety of straps covering his body, he readjusted the mesh that covered one of his arms, clinging to his skin as if afraid it would fall off. Shaking his hair out of his eyes, he strode forward as the lights flicked off, giving him less than a minute to get into his act.

His head flung back dramatically, one arm gripping his fan, the other placed a fist away from his face, as if clawing at himself, he leaned back, so that he was almost parallel with the floor. The lights brightened slowly, and the slow music started. It was not like the rigorous dances that he often performed, but rather sensual and seductive, leaving a lingering image in the minds of those who watched.

Muscles strained to cope with the slow dance, the sinuous movements that captured the gaze of his audience. His body twisted, his eyes gleamed, and his hair glinted a deadly silver.

He could feel the burning sensation in his muscles as twenty minutes passed, then thirty, as he went over his usual time. The music finally came to an end, his body coated in a fine sheen of sweat, giving him a radiant glow in the smoke-filled bar. He smiled, as he finished his dance in the same pose in which he started. The applause was immense as he left the stage, winking at the next performer, an exotic dancer, who in return, gave him a grin. Esther was her name. She had not revealed her history nor culture, but people knew better than to ask. Even Wolf didn't know all of the details, though he knew more than most.

He wiped the sweat from his brow, and went to freshen up.

"Well, if that wasn't the most ero- er, disgusting dance I've ever seen," muttered Ron, to a rather disgruntled Potions Professor. "Bloody disgusting what people will do these days," he grumbled, ducking his head down to hide the flush that had spread from his face and downwards.

Severus glanced at the flushing man. If he didn't know any better, he would have said that the man was actually disgusted with the silver-haired dancer. But he knew better. Though he thought that he'd almost rather not, he knew that Ron was… well, turned on, to put it lightly. Not that he was in a much better state… He found himself shifting uncomfortably, trying to quell the thoughts, without much luck. How could a simple dance do something like that? He was always cool and composed. How could this suddenly – well – pop up? He winced inwardly at the pun, trying to divert his attention to other matters.

One of the serving women set their drinks down. Brown hair spilled down her shoulders, her brown eyes slanted slightly, giving her an Asian look. Most likely of Asian descent. She gave them slight smiles, before walking away, Ron staring after her almost hungrily. Severus almost groaned in disgust. Did the man have any morals at all?

He swirled the drink absently, staring into the depths of the alcoholic liquid, instead of taking a sip.

"What's wrong, not thirsty?" Said a seductive voice in his ear. Severus stiffened as the presence of another made itself known. He was halfway towards reaching his wand, when a hand stopped him. "Come now, there's no need of that," his hand was led towards the slight (and rather embarrassing) bulge in his pants. His breath hitched at the contact with the sensitive area, trying not to blush at the smug feeling he could sense from the other. He caught a glimpse of silver hair, and his eyes widened slightly, ignoring the amused chuckle. He felt the man slide into the booth beside him, ignoring the incredulous stare of the annoying redhead blood traitor.

"Wh-what a-" he felt a finger place itself on his lips, quelling any further noises.

"Hush," the man whispered into his ear. "I have my sources," Severus repressed a shiver. Silver hair spilled over his shoulder as the man draped himself over Severus' body. He could feel hard muscles shifting as the man moved, effortless, a predator.

The grip on his sensitive area hardened, making him jerk in pain, trying unsuccessfully to rid himself of the hand that caused it.

"You were looking for me," The silver-haired man spoke quietly, coldly. "And I do believe that I can guess of your intentions. You were, after all, not one of the favourites of a certain raven-haired boy," his voice was deadly quiet, though they didn't seem to have any problems hearing him.

"So you do know Potter!" Burst out Ron, a triumphant smirk on his face.

"He told you?" Asked Severus, suspiciously, trying to ignore the icy smell that was emanating from Wolf. "Then again, he never was that great of a judge of character," He muttered to himself, not intending for Wolf to hear.

"A little… persuasion was all it took," Said Wolf smoothly, stretching the truth slightly. He couldn't, after all, tell them the truth now, could he.

"What did you do to him?" Demanded Severus sharply. Ron nodded emphatically, though almost looking… Eager to hear what had happened..

Wolf's grip tightened once again, making Snape emit a small pained noise, hunching slightly against the pain. "That is not something that someone in your position should be asking," His head tilted, eyes studying the potions master's face, taking in the strained breaths, the reddened cheeks.

Ron, however, seemed to think that it was a comment he could disregard easily. "Did you hurt him? You did, didn't you?" He opened his mouth to continue, when he found himself closing it, swallowing nervously, as the tip of a katana was held dangerously close to his throat.

Wolf straightened, pulling away from Snape.

"As I said," Wolf's eyes were frozen. "You are not in the position to ask questions," the temperature seemed to lower a few degrees, though it didn't prevent Ron from sweating as the blade pressed painfully against his skin, cutting the first few layers. It was only Wolf's control that prevented it from bleeding.

"Now," said Wolf, "I will say this once, and only once. You are not welcome here." He raised his voice slightly, letting it travel across the room. The muttering slowly subsided, and people began looking their way. Ron glared furiously, but decided against trying to go against the blade held painfully close against his neck. "I suggest that you leave," The blade flicked upwards, now close to the redhead's right eye. "And never come back," he stood up slowly, sheathing his katana in a smooth motion into the sheath angled on his back.

Ron looked as if he wanted to say something – which would have been very unwise - but was silenced by a glare from the Potions Master. They stood slowly, without saying anything, and left, walking quickly out of the now silent pub, trying to ignore the accusing stares that burned holes into their backs.

Wolf smirked slightly, before turning abruptly, heading towards the bar counter. The brown-haired server immediately poured him a small drink, which he drained in one shot. He gave a slight sigh, and nodded his thanks. Naomi smiled.

"He didn't even drink what he was served," She cocked her head slightly, giving a slight sardonic grin as Wolf shook his head, amused. The encounter hadn't been as bad as it could have been. Of course, he'd had the upper hand, which helped quite a bit, to put it mildly.

He ran a hand through his hair unconsciously, sweeping it away from his emotionless face. "I think I'll retire early tonight," He said, though he didn't let his fatigue – both mental and physical – show.

Naomi nodded her understanding. "It's not too busy tonight. We'll be fine without you," She graced him with a smile.

He nodded, and stood up gracefully, before heading out the back door, arriving at one of the many houses that they owned. Of course, from the outside, they simply looked like abandoned apartment buildings, but on the inside, it was home. It was not luxurious, of course, but it was good enough for everyone. Not everyone always stayed in the same building, since the buildings weren't quite big enough to house them all, but there was always someone in each of them, partly to make sure that they did not get broken into, and partly to take care of it.

Harry walked inside, after knocking the code on the door, to alert the others that he was not an intruder. He was greeted by Teren and Veran, who smiled their greetings.

"She just fell asleep," said Teren, "Without too much trouble this time," He gave a slight wink. Most of the time, it was all but impossible to get the mischievous Angel into bed. But Teren seemed to have the 'magical touch' that it took. Sometimes Wolf thought that he was better than himself and Naomi. He shook his head and gave a slight smile.

"Thanks," he said gratefully. He noted Veran watching him carefully, as if he knew of Wolf's inner struggles. He caught the older man's eye, and tilted his head slightly, the corners of his mouth quirking upwards slightly, indicating that he shouldn't be worried. Veran stared back, then gave a slight nod. Teren, of course, caught this, but knew better than to ask. Veran would explain later, anyway.

"Oh, and there's a letter for you. It was given to me at the club," Teren reassured Harry. "It's on your desk," he gave a slight wave as he and Veran left the building.

Wolf nodded, then headed towards Angel's room. She was indeed asleep, curled up around a stuffed wolf, the one he'd given her for her first birthday. The ears were a little bit torn, but other than that, it was still in good condition. He gave way to a slight smile. Glad that she still appreciated the gift.

He walked over to her silently, smoothing away a few strands of hair from her innocent face, then kissing her forehead gently, before leaving the room. He was about to close the door, when he heard a sleepy voice call out: "Papa?"

"Yes Angel?" He replied softly, as not to completely wake her up.

"G'night Papa, love you" she mumbled softly, her voice muffled by the pillow.

Wolf smiled gently. "I love you too, my Angel," He said quietly into the now-silent room. Closing the door gently, he headed up towards his study. There was indeed a letter on his desk. He approached almost warily, a sense of something close to foreboding prodding at him warningly. He reached out hesitantly, and picked up the letter.

He didn't even need to read the contents of the letter. It was visible on the envelop who the sender was. The spidery writing read simply 'Wolf, of Ombres', but the fear-inducing image of the dark mark below it was unmistakable.

**Author's Note**: Edited March 4th, 2012. Thank you for reading!


	7. Letters

**Summary**: Framed for murder, Harry finds himself sentenced to Azkaban, as the wizarding world believes themselves rid of Voldemort forever. Only Harry knows the truth, but no one will believe him. Betrayed by friends, Harry finds out his true heritage, and disappears upon his release. After restarting his life in a completely new setting, he finds out that his past has no intention of leaving him alone.

**Disclaimer: I'm sure you all know it by now… Nothing you recognize belongs to me.**

**Thanks SO MUCH to my reviewers!**

**Chapter 7: Letters**

"He's a danger to us," snarled Ron, as he paced back and for in front of his chair. The Order meeting had only just started, but Ron knew exactly what he had to say, and was not hesitating on relaying his thoughts. "He threatened us! He nearly killed me!" He indicated the small bandage on his neck.

Snape sneered. It hadn't even bled.

"Did he know of Harry?" Asked Dumbledore, blue eyes void of the twinkle that they normally held.

Ron nodded. "He said that Harry had given him information," he sneered.

"He also mentioned that it might not have been all that willingly," interjected Severus.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Right." He glanced at Dumbledore, who had a contemplative look.

"Given unwillingly?" Queried the Headmaster, almost to himself. "Then perhaps he is in need of a rescue," He said, eyes suddenly regaining their twinkle.

_-Silver Shadows-_

Wolf raked a hand through his long hair, closing his eyes in frustration. He should have expected this. There was no way he would be left alone. He was – after all – The-Boy-Who-Lived. Or, to put more accurately, The-Boy-Who-Was-Used. After all, both sides had used him; Voldemort for his blood and resurrection, Dumbledore and the wizarding world for the death of Voldemort. It was almost like a never-ending circle.

He gave a low growl, his eyes flicking to the letter once again. He'd expected something more like blunt threats to join 'or else', but instead, it was almost a pleasant letter, if one were ignorant enough not to notice the veiled hints of horrors that could come to pass, were this offer to be rejected.

Smoothing out an imagined crinkle, his eyes took in the words for what seemed like the hundredth time.

_Wolf of Ombres,_

_I greet you with my arm stretched out in welcome. I am sure that you have guessed who I am by now. But to confirm any suspicions, I am the one called Lord Voldemort. I am fairly sure that you have heard of me, for you certainly seem knowledgeable in many aspects._

Harry snorted slightly at the flattery.

_As you most likely already know, I have many values. One of them is purity. To see the filth called muggles walking around as if they own the world disgusts me. Then, as if to add to their already insulting presence, they insinuate themselves into our society by producing mudblood 'witches' and 'wizards'._

_May bloodlines have been contaminated with the blood of those not worthy of wielding wands._

_They must be eliminated. They threaten the world of magic in every way. With the production of incompetent magic-wielding offspring, they delve deeper into the magical society, risking our exposure at all times. The fool, Albus Dumbledore – I'm sure you are familiar with his 'accomplishments' – is one of the many who feels that muggles do not pose a big enough threat to our society to act. If anything, he encourages mixing. But it is simple to see that to do so would be disastrous. There is nothing that we have that will deflect a bullet, or defy a bomb._

Once again Wolf was reminded of Voldemort's true heritage. No matter how much he valued purity in blood, he was no more than a muggle-raised half-blood himself.

_For our own safety, we must eliminate all possible enemies, thus meaning that all muggles must be destroyed. The spells used to destroy many take much power, which is something that is rare, but is something that both of us are capable of._

_Join me, and our forces will be unstoppable. We are both alike in many qualities. We are both natural leaders, looked upon in times of need, looked to for guidance. Alone we can accomplish nothing. But together, we could do things never thought possible before._

_My informants have told me that Harry Potter – The-Boy-Who-Lived, is not truly dead. I have also been informed that he may be within your protection. Despite the fact that he and I have had an unfortunate past, I am willing to set aside our differences, and recommence any relationship that we had previously. No grudges will be held, should you – and he – choose to agree._

_The war that will eventually start up between myself and the fool Dumbledore is one that will affect the whole wizarding population. I urge you to think carefully. To choose the wrong side will undoubtedly result in many losses, simply due to a poorly made decision. I understand that family is important to everyone, which is why I know that you will make the correct choice in choosing your place in this war._

_Sincerest Regards,_

_Lord Voldemort_

Wolf gave a silent sigh, shaking his head slightly to clear it. So Voldemort's plans were finally in front of him. Of course, there was no doubt that this was only part of what the wizard wished to do, but he would only find out those such plans were he to join his ranks. That, of course, was not very high on his to-do list.

He rubbed his temples slowly, trying to relieve himself of the oncoming headache. Angel would no longer be quite as safe. Perhaps three people to guard her now… He'd rather guard her himself, but he couldn't be there all the time, much to his frustration. He would do anything for those he loved. He knew that Naomi would too, which was what scared him. But he trusted the members of Ombres. They were loyal, and would die for their cause. It sometimes caused grief, which was inevitable, but it helped build the ties between all of them. They trusted each other with their lives.

Wolf didn't realise how long it had been, until he sensed Naomi's presence outside his door. She knocked softly, then entered, her face instantly creasing into a worried look as she took in his frustrated state.

"Wolf," She spoke softly, crossing the room swiftly, and enveloping him in a soft, soothing hug, ignoring all else for the moment.

It was a few minutes later, when she finally released him. Her eyes traveled to the letter on the desk; the only antagonist in the house.

She read it silently, quickly, her face falling slightly as she finished. "There is nothing you can do to prevent the war," She assured him, "Nor can you accept nor reject those who come to you. It is true; you will have to choose your place in the war," she spoke softly, as she massaged his head soothingly. "You know this. I know this. Ombres knows this," she smiled sadly, even if he couldn't see her behind him. "But know that I will be behind you one hundred percent of the time. Mon amour. I will never leave your side."

Harry smiled slightly. "And I yours," he replied quietly, before raising his head, features hardening slightly. "But as you said, this is war, however much we wish to deny it." His eyes went back to the letter. "You, Angel and Ombres are my top priorities. I will let nothing deter me from keeping you safe." He stood up abruptly, and turned to face Naomi who was still behind him. "I may have to fight," he said, with a feeling that it was more than a 'may'. "But I will always be there for you," he finished softly, a slight smile warming his features, before he sat down again, and took out a fresh piece of parchment. For a moment he considered writing with a muggle pen, but decided against that, as it would probably be a bit overboard as to insulting Voldemort.

His reply was short and brief, firm, and yet polite at the same time.

_Lord Voldemort,_

_As much as I am honoured by your most generous offer, I am afraid that I cannot wholeheartedly accept your offer as I wish to. While your ideals appeal to me in many ways, there are certain aspects in which I do not quite see eye-to-eye with you. However, I can assure you that this by no means that I will choose to oppose you in this war. I choose no side. I have no part in this battle. The safety of those around me is my top priority. I will let nothing harm them._

_You have my sincerest wish that you achieve what you wish most out of this war, but also remember the lives that those who have fought have already lost._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Wolf of Ombres_

He rolled up the letter, and placed it in an unbreakable glass tube. He then summoned a water elemental, promising a favour in return for this task of bringing the letter to Voldemort. The elemental giggled, then nodded its acceptance, before grabbing the tube, and plunging into the glass of water on his desk, disappearing with the carefully preserved letter.

Wolf leaned back with a sigh, running a hand through his long hair, grimacing slightly as he felt his back muscles complain from having been in the same position for too long of a time. He stood up and stretched slightly, then let Naomi take his arm and lead him out of the room to the master bedroom, where they both slept.

"Time to sleep, Wolf" She said softly, pulling him into the bed without bothering to change their clothes. He felt his worries drift away as she massaged his back gently, his eyes drifting together. He smiled slightly, and grabbed her hand, pulling her down beside him. He pulled the covers up, then wrapped an arm around her almost possessively, where they both fell asleep.

**Author's Note**: Edited: March 4th, 2012. Thank you for reading!


	8. To write, to plan, to execute

**Summary**: Framed for murder, Harry finds himself sentenced to Azkaban, as the wizarding world believes themselves rid of Voldemort forever. Only Harry knows the truth, but no one will believe him. Betrayed by friends, Harry finds out his true heritage, and disappears upon his release. After restarting his life in a completely new setting, he finds out that his past has no intention of leaving him alone.

**Disclaimer**: I'm sure you all know it by now… None of the characters you recognise are mine. Simple as that.

**Awesome reviews! Thanks everyone!**

**Chapter 8: To write, to plan, to execute**

Wolf rested his hand on Sempath's shoulder in thanks, then watched as the teenager walked down the alley, and turned the corner.

The girl was not that old, but she was a fighter – a survivor. At sixteen years of age, she was already an expert fighter in many forms of martial art and weapons. She was a muggle, but everyone from around here knew better than to cross her. Yet as if to contradict her dangerous skills, she had a heart that seemed two times too big for her body. She would help all those in need, without hesitance. The houses were often filled with stray animals in need of food and shelter.

This was the exact reason why he had chosen her as Angel's third guardian. The girl had a complicated past, and few truly knew what had driven her onto the streets, but most were smart enough not to ask.

He shook his head slightly and walked back into the club, readying his face for another busy night.

Gradually, things began taking a normal pace again, and Wolf's slight paranoia began to slowly lower in intensity. So far, nothing had happened, despite his reply. He'd ended up creating a small pond behind the house that they were currently occupying, as a returned favour to the water elemental.

It had been a few weeks since he had received the letter from Voldemort, but he still had three people guarding Angel. The house was – consequently – filled with strays, as Sempath would have in no other way.

Yet it was a few weeks later that he found himself staring at yet another letter, put into his hands this time by Sempath, as he returned early that morning. He growled slightly, as his eyes flicked to the phoenix crest adorning the melted wax that sealed the regal-looking letter. Dumbledore.

Wearily, he put the letter on the desk, the Gryffindor-red words glaring up at him, as if accusing him on murder. It was addressed to 'Mr Wolf'. He shrugged off the thoughts of what the title could be implying. Dumbledore probably knew many muggle nursery rhymes and tales, after all.

Picking up the letter rather hesitantly, he opened it carefully, after checking for any spells that might have been hidden on the letter itself. To Dumbledore's credit, he found none.

Unfolding it slowly, he began to read.

_Dear Mr Wolf,_

_It has come to my attention that you have had recent contact with one that I and many others care deeply for: Mr Harry Potter._

_In recent news, it has been published that The-Boy-Who-Lived had passed away. However, it has been made known to me through various means, that this is not the case. Many of us, myself most definitely included, worry very much about young Mister Potter. We hope reverently that he is safe and sound somewhere, and has not been harmed in any way._

Wolf quirked a brow at the slight implication, and shook his head slightly, reading on.

_I am confident that you are aware of the on goings in other countries, and are fully informed of the situation that we have had with a recent Dark Lord named Lord Voldemort. Thus, I will spare you a few feet of parchment reading, and get straight to my point._

_This man must be stopped, at all costs._

_He was pronounced dead a decade or so ago, but in recent study, it was discovered that it is not so. Voldemort is indeed still alive, and free to wreak havoc among innocent people. This is something I cannot allow.  
This man is dangerous. He thinks naught of killing, and will harm any who stand in his way, and even those who do not. He will stop at nothing to achieve his goals, which is to kill all those who are not of 'pure blood' (while he himself is only a half-blood, excuse the terminology) while spouting some nonsense about this being the will of Salazar Slytherin - one of the founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - and, being his heir, must complete what Salazar started. Unfortunately, many wizards believe what he tells them, and foolishly follow along, killing innocent people in his name, and in their eyes, 'purifying the world'. These actions are completely unacceptable, and all of this behaviour and this mindset _must_ be eliminated! It could mean the destruction of the wizarding world, if it continues the way it was, before he was supposedly eliminated from the world of the living. _

_There are not enough wizards who do not have some muggle blood running through their bodies to keep the wizarding world populated. Inter-family breeding has many defects, and eventually, everyone would be related, and they would find themselves with no one to marry, and no means in which to reproduce._

_As one can see, muggles and muggle-born witches and wizards are crucial to the existence of the wizarding world itself. Without them, all would fail._

_Muggles play a big role in this war, whether they realise it – or wish it – or not. We must turn to them, and gain their support in order to win this war. We cannot go on obliviating them anymore. We must ask them for aid, in this time of dire need. They have the technology that we need to win this battle against the evil that threatens the existence of many. Those with magical children have no problems accepting the talents of their offspring. Even those who do not have descendants who can perform magic will eventually come to terms with what seems like the wildest dream unfolded before them._

_This is also why we seek the aid of Mister Potter. Harry is very important to us, and to the rest of the wizarding world. We humbly seek his aid and beg for his forgiveness, for we have wronged him, and wish to rectify past mistakes. There are many who still care for him, and fear for his safety. It is our wish that he is provided with the utmost safety and care._

_We also request aide from you. I have heard of a few of your exploits, and acknowledge your achievements. You have been the successful leader of a gang containing not only witches and wizards, but muggles, werewolves, and I do believe a few of other species. I have uppermost respect for you, and would be greatly honoured, were you to consider our offer. _

_Safety is something that we all relish, and it is something that could be readily provided for you and all those you choose. _

_I beg of you to consider our cause, and to aide us in reaching our goal._

_Most Sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore, leader of The Order of the Pheonix._

Wolf stared at the letter, then shook his head, suppressing a groan. He was just as bad as Voldemort. Get aide from muggles? Was this man truly as insane as he had first thought? The muggles would be too scared… Afraid of the unknown. They may accept that it is true, but they would not accept it into their society. They would fear for their jobs, their safety, their families… No, muggles would not help. While he agreed that to rid the world of muggle-born witches and wizards would be disastrous, they could not involve muggles.

He found himself rubbing his temples, once again, as he stared at the letter, trying to decide how to reply. They wanted him back. They put sweet words on paper to try to convince his return, after they had sent Snape and Ron. He now, more than ever, doubted Dumbledore's ability to lead the resistance against Voldemort.

Thus, Harry wrote a short reply, declining just as politely, if a little briefly, the offer. He'd let them ponder about Harry Potter's location for a while. It was much more satisfying that way, after all.

* * *

… _Thus, I find myself in need of declining your offer, with sincere apologies._

_On the note of Harry Potter, whom you seemed so interested in, I am afraid that I cannot tell you what I know. But be warned that it would not do to pry into affairs that no longer concern you._

_With regards,_

_Wolf_

Albus Dumbledore looked up from the letter, a faint frown etched onto his forehead. This was not how he had expected it to go. He let out a silent sigh, not wanting the others to see his inner turmoil. While the letter had warned him away from the French wizard, he felt that it was his responsibility to ensure Harry's safety. He glanced towards the order members.

"Any news?" He questioned, almost wearily, resisting the urge to rub his temples in exhaustion.

The order members shook their heads.

"Nothing." It was Professor McGonagall who spoke up, running a tired hand over her own eyes, as if finding it hard to keep them open for such a long period of time, her whole frame looking rather tired and worn.

Dumbledore rested his elbows on the armrests, fingertips touching in thought, as he gently stroked his beard with his thumbs. "Perhaps," he mused aloud, "a slight bit more action will be needed," he said, ideas already whirling around in his head. All he had to do was put them in action. Harry Potter would soon, once again, be theirs. He would save them – he had to.

* * *

A few months passed, and they all found themselves readying for winter… including the strays. 

Sempath stroked the cat's worn fur, smiling gently as it meowed pathetically, obviously starving by its looks. She passed a piece of paper with the words 'Rue Nord, No. 7' written in a regal-style handwriting. The cat blinked in confusion at the sudden intrusion of white and black in its vision, eyes scanning the paper, before turning its head towards the human, giving it a piercing glare. It was cold and rainy outside, its fur was tangly and dirty and it was _hungry_. It wanted in…_now_!

Sempath smiled and tucked the paper back in her pocket. For some reason, even though they couldn't read it, the animals could see the house once they'd glanced at the paper. Although, she supposed, how else would animals be able to find places hidden by the Fidelius charm? But, she reasoned, she didn't really need to know how it worked, since it wasn't like she could cast the spell. All she needed to know was that it _worked_. That was good enough for her.

She reached down and picked up the stray animal, and carried it into the house, humming softly to herself. They were switching houses soon, and had moved most of their possessions to the next place, but they were still staying here for a few more days.

* * *

"Stop pushing yourself so much," Said Naomi softly, running her hand through the long strands of Wolf's silver hair. "Your hair is going to turn white," she teased, earning a roll of the eyes in response. "Besides, you can only train so much before your body will give out. What will you do when you've pushed yourself past the limit, and cannot do anything anymore? What happens if we get attacked, and you cannot defend yourself?" Laying him down on his stomach, face cushioned by the soft pillows decorating the large bed, she massaged his sore muscles with a practiced ease and skill. 

"I suppose…" replied Wolf hesitantly. He'd been training in weaponry and magic for a while now, lest he be too weak in the upcoming war to protect those around him. After all, one had to have a certain amount of skill before they could even consider rivalling that of two of the most powerful wizards alive. He sighed. "I'll take it a bit easier then…" He said reluctantly. He felt Naomi pull him into a hug, relishing her gentle touch on his tired body.

"It will be fine. Besides, like this, you'll have more time to train the others," She smiled, as he nodded. Almost all the members of his gang were being trained in one way or another. None would go without being able to protect themselves. Even the other gangs were starting to sway towards one side or another. Fights were becoming more and more common now, and it was not safe to go out save in a group of at least three or four people, unless you were far enough in the gang's territory. Non-gang members no longer frequented the clubs as often, lest they be attacked or harassed for choosing to side with them.

"Sometimes…" Said Wolf, eyes half closed, "Sometimes, Dumbledore's cause doesn't seem quite so bad… With a few adjustments, of course," he said, giving another sigh. "All the killing that Voldemort is doing… The innocents… it doesn't seem right, even though he does also have a point…" He frowned slightly in frustration. No matter how often he thought about it, he could not choose which cause was more logical. Both had their strong points, and yet major faults.

Naomi smiled again. "Cub," she said gently, as a mother would her child, "Sometimes, there is no right choice," she said sagely, receiving a playful slap in return.

"I know," he growled, eyes flashing slightly in amusement at her teasing as he turned towards her. But he was glad for the distraction. He hated having those thoughts constantly on his mind. He chased them away constantly, but it seemed that they ran the full circle, and jumped up from behind. It seemed that his mind was urging him to help Dumbledore, to stop the killing of all those innocent muggles, but his loyalty to his gang always stopped him before he could act upon his, well, instinct. That was what it truly was, and nothing more. He was so used to jumping up at every moment to protect his friends, but now he had others to worry about.

He closed his eyes, and pushed the thoughts away once again, sleep slowly overcoming him as Naomi lay down beside him. He soon fell asleep with one arm wrapped around her waist in a fiercely protective gesture.

* * *

"Are you sure-" 

"Remus," Said Albus, a gentle smile placating his slight condescension. "We've been over this before. You know that this is not something that can be avoided." He placed a hand on the werewolf's shoulder calmly but firmly. This brooked no discussion. They would follow through with their plan. It had taken longer than Albus had anticipated to fully prepare, but it would be worth it in the end.

With a final pat, Albus Dumbledore, one of the most feared and most respected wizards, made an error that would greatly affect his chance of winning the war.

**Author's Note**: Hmmm, rather boring chapter, I'd say…but… it's necessary. Sorry about having letters in two chapters in a row! Left you on a cliffie too, lol. Well, next chapter WILL have action for SURE!

Took me a while to update… but… my life has been…er..busy… hehe. So anyway, glad you all enjoyed the previous chapter! I'm trying not to make my characters _too_ OOC, but I suppose it sneaks in there once and a while. Well, hope you enjoyed reading this chapter!

By the way, I was thinking of maybe writing a sequel to this fic… What do you think? Oh, and there _will_ be some character deaths in this fic, (no, I don't want to, I love my characters! xP lol, buuut… Can't be helped )


	9. Plan gone awry

**Summary**: Framed for murder, Harry finds himself sentenced to Azkaban, as the wizarding world believes themselves rid of Voldemort forever. Only Harry knows the truth, but no one will believe him. Betrayed by friends, Harry finds out his true heritage, and disappears upon his release. After restarting his life in a completely new setting, he finds out that his past has no intention of leaving him alone.

**Disclaimer**: I'm sure you all know it by now… None of the characters you recognise are mine. Simple as that.

**Chapter 9 : Plan gone awry**

Dumbledore read the words elegantly written on the small piece of paper, before handing it around the group of wizards gathered around him. He had probably brought more people than necessary, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

They arrived with multiple portkeys, and found themselves staring at what appeared to be an abandoned old building. The shadows cast by the dim streetlight and the darkness of the night didn't really help its looks.

"He lives _here_?" said Ron, eyeing the building with great dislike. But before he could continue, Dumbledore cleared his throat.

"Let us go," He commanded, and strode towards the house confidently, his small army behind him.

* * *

Wolf watched his opponent calmly. His whole body ached, but he ignored it. He was pushing himself too hard again, he knew it, but he couldn't help it. Shinta was so rarely free to train with, and was one of the few who truly knew how to put up a good fight without seriously injuring the other. They both wore traditional Japanese training outfits, also known as a gi, since they were currently practicing a form of kendo, though it did involve other martial arts. 

Shinta lunged forward, and Wolf dodged, then swung low, faking towards the man's legs, then swung at his midsection, hearing the resonating _clang_ of metal against metal, as his blow was blocked.

Wolf faked again, then froze, eyes widening slightly. He jumped back out of the way of Shinta's attack, then raised his hand, effectively stopping the other man with the silent yet commanding gesture.

"Something is wrong…" He whispered, face paling slightly. "The house," He choked out. "Tell Naomi," He said, before disappearing soundlessly.

Shinta frowned as he hurried out, sheathing his weapon, as he went in search of the female Shadow Elf.

* * *

Flames wound their way out of the windows, licking eagerly at the roof, with fresh air to spur them on. 

Wolf stared at the burning building for a moment, before turning to the large group that was assembled a safe distance away. A few people were crowding around a figure spread out on the ground, seemingly unconscious. As he approached, Harry felt his blood run cold upon identifying the unconscious figure. Sempath. He hurried into a jog, arriving moments later apparently unnoticed by the rest. Sempath. He could only see Sempath. He felt his face pale even more, as his eyes traveled to the flames.

"Where is she?" His voice was hoarse, eyes stuck on Dumbledore, who only now turned, and seemed to spot him. "_WHERE IS SHE?_" he shouted in panic, startling squeaks of surprise from a few of the people assembled.

"Ah, you must be Wolf. I am Albus Dumbledore. Please accept my sincerest regrets as to this unfortunate event," he said, indicating the burning building. "But fear not, we have your young housekeeper with us, safe and sound!" He smiled pleasantly, waiting for the relief that should appear on the silver-haired man's face at any moment now…

Wolf stared in horror. "She's still in there," He whispered, eyes sparking in fear, words unheard by all except for Remus, who frowned.

"Who-"

"What, sad that your sorry little building is burning down?" Sneered Ron, speaking before Remus could continue, though it seemed that his words went unheard to the silver-haired man's ears.

"Angel…" Whispered Harry, before taking off at a dead run towards the building. He ignored the shouts and exclamations, as well as the no small number of hexes thrown his way in an attempt to stop him. He felt a stupefy hit him in the back, and heard Ron's triumphant cry, but ignored them both. His shields could handle the Stupefy easily – he hoped. He did, however, curse his sore body; still aching from the many hours of training he'd had the past few days. He shouldn't have worked so hard all at once. He shouldn't have – no.

He couldn't think about that right now. Angel was still inside. He felt fear twist in his stomach like a snake, squeezing his insides until he felt ready to burst with dread.

He waved his arm and the door banged open, only to fall off its hinges, releasing a pent up wave of heat that blew towards Harry. He retaliated with frost, freezing the flames that licked the doorway, but it was only enough to keep him safe from the flames, but not from the wood that was falling around him. He ran up the stairs towards Angel's room. He could hear faint sounds of crying. _Angel_! She was still alive! Feeling his heartbeat quicken, he raced down the hallway, momentarily forgetting everything else except for that doorway. He felt the floor begin to crumble around him and cursed, stumbling to one knee. Picking himself back up hastily, he jumped as far as he could, escaping the hole that threatened to swallow him up.

He kicked open Angel's door, and shouted out in horror. The floor had vanished, and there was no sign of Angel. He felt panic boiling up inside him, his heart racing in fear, as he stepped forward and looked down. What he saw made him freeze in sorrow and anger. Angel was crying, trying to wake the immobile body of Teren, who still had her in a protective embrace, protecting her from the fall.

"Angel…" _Teren…_ Wolf managed to choke out, but it was loud enough for his daughter to hear.

"Daddy!" Angel screamed, tears streaming down her face. "He won't wake up Daddy! _Why won't he wake up_?" She sobbed, pulling at Teren's shirt fruitlessly.

Wolf felt his emotions stir once again. Sorrow. Anger.

The Order. They had started this. They had _killed_ one of his men. Just as he was about to jump down, he saw another beam detach itself from the roof, just above Angel, who whimpered in fear.

This time, his emotions went haywire. "_NO_!" he screamed, arm outstretched. Ice blasted in every which direction, save towards Angel and Teren. The flames were trapped beneath a thick coat of ice, flickering a few times, before dying from lack of oxygen. The beam froze in midair, attached by a few feet of solid ice to the roof.

Without further thought, Wolf jumped down, landing easily, sure-footed, even on the ice.

"Angel, I'm so sorry Angel, I wasn't here in time," He whispered softly, cradling her to his chest after detaching her from Teren's grip, still strong even in death. She buried her head in his shoulder, her whole body quaking with the sobs that wracked her small frame.

"I tried to wake him up, Daddy, but he wouldn't! I couldn't make him wake up! I made a shield for us 'n' everything! Why didn't he wake up?" She hiccupped, soaking Wolf's top with salted sorrow.

"Hush, it's all right," He said gently, levitating Teren behind him. "It's alright my Darling Angel," he crooned gently, though he himself wanted nothing more than to break down into tears himself, to scream at the world of his anger, his sorrow.

His legs trembled slightly from exhaustion. He should have controlled his magic more. He'd used too much, too recklessly. But what was done was done.

As he exited the now-frozen building, Naomi rushed over, looking extremely pale. She took a few moments to inspect them, searching for any injuries. After finding none, she spoke.

"Sempath told me what happened. She said that they barged in while she was cooking. She was too busy trying to defend herself against their accusations to pay attention to the stove. Everything caught fire so quickly. She tried to put it out, but they stunned her and took her outside. She couldn't even tell them about Angel, Teren and Veran," she said, as a few more tears leaked out. "Then they said that you'd gone inside… I feared…" She looked away, and spotted Teren. She froze. "Teren," She whispered. "No…" She took in his pale face, his lifeless body.

"He saved Angel when the floor caved in," he said softly, fighting back the urge to cry out in frustration. "Angel's magic shielded them against the fire and heat, but… I think… The fall killed him," he said softly, unable to look at Teren's limp form. No matter how many deaths he had seen or caused, the death of one he cared for would always cut at his heart.

"Veran…" Said Wolf, his breath catching slightly. "Where is he?" He turned to stare at the now-frozen house. "He couldn' t have…" No, Veran couldn't be dead as well… He was a wizard; he would have been able to escape…

He glanced at Naomi, who nodded and managed to pry Angel from his arms. She struggled at first, then saw who it was and immediately latched on, still trembling in shock.

Wolf turned, and headed inside, searching with his senses. "Veran?" He called carefully. He didn't want to be to loud, lest he crack the ice and cause the whole house to collapse. A few minutes later, he turned in the direction of the library, where he could Feel Veran's unmistakable aura. He walked quickly, safe and secure in his own element, and forced open the frozen door. The shelves were almost completely burned, but luckily there had been no books of value left in the room. He walked quickly towards the front of the room, where he saw the motionless body of Veran, trapped in between a bookcase and a roof beam. He was unconscious, but alive.

Wolf sighed with relief, as he banished the two offending objects with a wave of his hand. Veran was holding the remains of a children's story in his hands. Wolf sighed. He must have been down here looking for a book for Angel, while Teren helped her, perhaps, clean her room? And meanwhile Sempath was cooking a late-night snack, mused Harry, a slight frown marring his otherwise smooth features. The library was right underneath the kitchen, which was probably why the beam fell down, effectively trapping Veran. He was, luckily, in the triangle of safety beside the bookshelf, no matter how small it was once the bookcase had been crushed. That was probably what had saved his life.

He stood up and levitated Veran behind him carefully. He had a broken arm and leg, but he had no doubt that Naomi or one of the other members could heal him.

Wolf all but staggered outside, and was immediately called over by Shinta, who was frowning at a heated discussion between Naomi and Molly Weasley. Wolf felt his anger flare up, but pushed it down as best as he could, bringing Veran over to Noir, who was standing close to Shinta, a muggle medical kit already open on the ground. Wolf lowered Veran slowly to the ground, with care that seemed unfitting of him. Once the injured man was safe in Noir and Shinta's hands, he closed his eyes, before standing up, and walking over to the arguing pair, to save Molly for a painful fate. Elven children were extremely rare. No one got in between an Elf and their Child. _Except for foolish humans_ he scowled slightly, before smoothing over his features, pushing down the parental rage that threatened to blast the redheaded lady away from his beloved. As a mother of seven, she should surely know what happened to parents who were denied their children…

"…obvious that you are not fit to be a parent! She could have been killed in that fire! You are much too young to be having children anyway!" Said Mrs Weasley, slightly red in the face from arguing. She held Angel firmly to her chest, preventing any struggle from the small child. He could feel Angel's fear and discomfort through their Bond. All elven families had bonds that ran deep. To sever a bond could mean the death of another.

Wolf growled softly, warningly, though only Naomi heard. He could feel her anger radiating off of her in waves. How Molly did not, he would never know. How Naomi held back from attacking, Wolf would also never figure out.

"I would suggest," He said coldly, the air chilling around him, as he stopped beside Naomi, "That you let go of our child, and apologize before things get out of hand," he all but hissed, eyes chips of jaded ice.

Molly stared at him for a moment, and Wolf could see the inspection that took place. "Now see here," She said in a rather annoyed tone, as if she had every right to be doing such actions. It was obvious that she thought rather little of Wolf.

"No," he replied, voice dropping into a warning growl, as he stepped forward, closing the gap between him. He felt Angel reach out and grab his hand in hers. He squeezed it comfortingly even as he spoke. "You will release our child, or you will suffer the consequences. You should know better than to stand between a parent and their child," he tried to control his magic, but he could not stop the frost that spread out around him. Only Naomi and Angel seemed unaffected.

The others had been drawing closer around them, forming a sort of semicircle around them. But Wolf ignored them, his instincts telling him to go for this woman, and this woman alone.

"Molly, perhaps…" Came the hesitant voice of Remus, carrying through the chilled air that had most shivering.

Dumbledore's arm came down gently but warningly on the werewolf's shoulder, stilling any further speech.

"Yes _Molly,_" sneered Wolf, feeling his anger rising once again, as she made no move to release Angel. "Perhaps you should listen to others when they warn you," he spat. Oh, he _really_ wanted to let his magic go wild, but he knew that such things could lead to unwanted attention and could alert others of his power.

"Mister Wolf, I sincerely apo-" began Dumbledore, stepping forward beside Mrs Weasley, and laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. But he was cut off as Wolf's eyes snapped to the old man's face, narrowing as they perceived another potential threat. Albus heard the growl at the back of the man's throat, reminding him so much of Remus, as the younger man spoke.

"Let her go, or you will regret it," He hissed, energy and magic balling around his hands, as his stance changed to offensive, ready to lung at them if necessary.

Albus frowned slightly, pushing down the fear that told him to do as the man said. He was clearly dangerous, and it was obvious now why he was the leader of a gang. If his child had that kind of power too… It would be very favourable for them to have them both on their side, but…

"Molly, perhaps it is best…" He said finally, glancing apologetically at the woman, who sniffed angrily, but hesitantly opened her arms. He did, after all, have to convince this man to join the ranks of the Order.

Angel immediately jumped into Naomi's arms, shivering slightly, trying desperately to hold back tears from leaving her already swollen eyes.

Wolf forced himself to calm down, seeing as Angel was safe again. His magic rebelled, wanting release. Panicking slightly, he let it flow into the ground, where it burst into freedom joyfully.

Albus smiled and opened his mouth to speak, when the house, now frozen, exploded in shards of ice that shot in every which direction at a dangerous speed, threatening to impale all those who stood in the way. Yet even as they shot towards the group standing in their direct line of fire, they stopped, inches away from Noir and Shinta, who were still calmly healing Veran, as if no explosion had ever occurred. They, of course, knew that Wolf would never allow any harm to befall them while he was around.

The shards of ice exploded into puffs of snow, drifting down slowly, harmlessly onto the ground below, creating a white layer from what was once a house. It was spread around a large empty lot, void of everything but dirt. Nothing was left of one of the places that Wolf and his gang had once called home.

Silence reigned, as Wolf breathed as deeply as he could, in an attempt to control his emotions. Naomi rested her hand on his shoulder, partly to calm him down, and partially to take comfort in his presence. He could feel her own emotions raging inside of her, even as she kept her expression calm.

His train of thought was interrupted by Shinta, who approached silently, placing a calming hand on Wolf's shoulder before speaking.

"She is awake. She wishes to speak with you," He said softly, glancing warily at the members of the Order of the Pheonix, namely Dumbledore, who seemed rather curious as to what was going on.

Wolf nodded, then with a warning look at Dumbledore, strode towards Sempath, who was staring at the sky, mixed emotions marring her otherwise gentle features. A few simple charms ensured privacy, as Wolf knelt down beside her.

"What happened?" He asked softly, as she turned to face him, head propped up by Noir's sweatshirt.

"I-I'm sorry," She whispered, glancing away, only to have Wolf gently take her chin between his fingers, and turn her head back towards him.

"Whatever happened," he said softly but sternly, "It is not your fault. I, in no way, place any blame upon your shoulders. Do you understand?" He asked, forcing her to meet his eyes.

She blinked away tears, then nodded. "I still should have been more careful…" She whispered, but since she seemed to want to continue, Wolf did not interrupt her. "I didn't notice them until they arrived in the kitchen, wands waving, sparks flying everywhere," She shivered slightly at the memory. "They pointed them at me, and demanded that I tell them where Harry Potter was. I told them that there was no Harry Potter there," She glanced at him nervously, but relaxed when she saw his nod of approval. She was, after all, one of the few who knew who he truly was. "They didn't seem to believe me at first, all except for one man who looked – well – exhausted. But I insisted.

"I had been cooking a midnight snack for Angel and the others, and hadn't noticed when the eggs started to burn, nor when the muffins caught fire in the oven.

They asked if there was anyone else in the house, but I didn't answer. I guess they assumed that I meant no. They were crowding around me, and blocking my view of the stove. I only noticed the fire when the kitchen began to heat up. The fire had already spread to the cupboard above the stove," she gave a sad smile, "I always knew it was too low down…

"I ran to find the fire extinguisher, but I think they assumed that I was running away from them. They stunned me, two of them, I believe, as a few of them missed, and that is all that I remember," she closed her eyes momentarily, then opened them when Wolf placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You did the best you could. You handled the situation extremely well," he said, as kindly as he could while he felt anger towards Dumbledore. Had the man no common sense? They were wizards. They could have easily stopped the fire before it spread any further. And to take advantage of Angel in such a way…

He stood up slowly, then walked back to Dumbledore. Naomi had taken Angel a little ways away, though she did not want to leave Wolf there alone.

"You got past the fidelius charm," he said softly, dangerously. "What tricks did you use?" He asked, eyes flicking behind the Headmaster, surveying, judging those behind him. His eyes fell upon Professor MacGonagall, who bore a guilty look, unable to meet his eyes. As if she could feel his gaze, her eyes flickered up, intending to look away, but she found herself caught in the intensity of his gaze. The wordless accusations made her cringe, only breaking the gaze when Wolf glanced back at Dumbledore.

"I see," he said, eyes narrowed slightly. "Compelling charms, and exploitation of one of my trusted members. Dishonourable actions, Taking advantage of another's weakness. I can certainly see why they call you 'The Great Albus Dumbledore' growled Wolf, emerald gaze flashing dangerously.

**Author's Note: **Longer chapter… faster update…for once, heh. Hope you liked it! I was going to continue, but…it felt…right to stop here. XPP ahaha… hope it's not TOO bad of a cliffy o.O; Don't worry, their 'little chat' hasn't quite finished yet

The reason I mentioned making a sequel, is because I basically know how I'm going to finish the story, and…well, I always get ahead of myself xP. I have this fic's plot basically all in my mind, I simply need to elaborate and type it out, hehe.

I watched Harry Potter 4 last week… pretty good movie! It was rather like watching a bunch of movie clips placed together…for…2 and a half hours.. but for what they had to fit in there, it was very well done! That bath scene…heh, pretty funny. The sad scene, when Harry returns with Cedric's body…'fraid it wasn't quite so well done, but… Overall, good movie. Best one out of the four, I'd say.

**Thank you SO much for your wonderful reviews! I appreciate every single one of them!**


	10. To Repay

**Summary**: Framed for murder, Harry finds himself sentenced to Azkaban, as the wizarding world believes themselves rid of Voldemort forever. Only Harry knows the truth, but no one will believe him. Betrayed by friends, Harry finds out his true heritage, and disappears upon his release. After restarting his life in a completely new setting, he finds out that his past has no intention of leaving him alone.

**Disclaimer**: I'm sure you all know it by now… None of the characters you recognise are mine. Simple as that.

**Chapter 10: To Repay**

Wolf stared coldly at the elderly wizard who stood in front of him. Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak, but Wolf gave him no chance.

"Don't try it, old man," he spat, staring his former mentor coldly in the eye. "I will hear none of it. Do not try me with pathetic excuses. Your words mean nothing. Your actions spoke for themselves. You have blood on your hands, Dumbledore. Blood that might as well have been mine. Blood of one who could be considered my kin. Those who harm my kin never leave unscathed. What is there to stop me from seeking justice?" He asked, anger boiling inside of him. His fingers itched to reach for his katana, but he stopped himself. He would wait, if only for old time's sake.

"About Harry-" began Albus, attempting to steer the conversation in a completely different direction, before he was cut off.

"Ah yes," sneered Wolf. "Your _precious_ Harry. I did manage to speak to him," he smiled mirthlessly, as he saw a spark of hope leap into the old man's eyes. "I even showed him your _gracious_ letter." He stepped forward. "And you know what he said when he finished reading it?" He leaned forward so that his mouth was right beside Albus' ear. He let his eyes travel, then rest on Ron, who glanced up and found himself trapped in a gaze of ice. "Bullshit," he hissed, loud enough for the others to hear him. He smirked at the cringe that swept through the small crowd. Stepping back he looked into Albus' sorrowful eyes.

"Of course, you'll never find him. He'll come out if he wants to, but I highly doubt it." His eyes narrowed slightly. "Give up, Dumbledore, before you cause anymore harm." He stepped back and turned. He had only taken a few steps, when he heard someone run up behind him. He stopped as loud footsteps halted just behind him. There was a bit of fumbling, and then he felt a thing piece of wood press against his temple.

"_Turn, hellhound, turn_" Wolf murmured softly to himself, quoting the famous lines from Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Fitting? Perhaps. He turned slowly, unsurprised to see Ron standing there, glaring at him in fury.

"How dare you! You can't go around speaking like that! Someone like _you_ speaking like that to Albus Dumbledore? Who do you think you are?" He yelled out, hand shaking slightly as he tried to keep his wand training steadily at Harry's head.

"Mr Weasley-" Began Albus, before Wolf cut him off, once again.

"No, Dumbledore, let him continue. I would be _glad_ to hear what he has to say," said Wolf sardonically, silver-flecked eyes never leaving Ron's. His voice was low, the words murmured softly, but the hard tone never leaving.

Ron hesitated, but his Gryffindor courage caught up with him, and he ploughed on ahead. "You have no right to insult people who are above you!" He swelled up his chest in an attempt to appear more intimidating. "You should be glad that he's even giving you a chance to speak with him! You, attempting to be all 'high and mighty'" he said disdainfully, looking Wolf up and down as if sizing him up. "You wouldn't last a second against an opponent! I'm surprised that _she_" he shot his gaze towards Naomi who was watching impassively, albeit a slight bit angrily, "stays with you. Lord knows what you have to do to keep her in your bed. Although, I guess if she's a who-" Ron found himself silenced, as the cool edge of a blade pressed against his vulnerable neck, as Wolf glared at him, lips drawn back slightly in anger.

"Finish that sentence, and I will finish your life," he said coldly. "Insult Naomi, and you insult me. And insulting me is not a good idea," he smirked at Ron's audible _gulp_. Slowly, he stepped forward, letting the blade slide warningly across the redhead's skin. "Ronald Weasley," he said softly, mockingly. "Always the jealous one, weren't you?" he pressed the blade slightly, cutting off anything Ron was about to say in his defence. "Now, now," he _tutted_, circling slowly, his eyes never leaving the tall man. "surely you can hear me out? All it takes is a bit of patience," he leaned closer. "Of course, you were never really one for that sort of thing, were you? Always jumping into fights, into situations that you could not handle… Oh yes," he smirked at Ron's startled look. "I know much about you. I know how you accused your _dear_ friend Mr Potter of putting his own name in the Goblet of Fire in your fourth year… Betraying his trust so easily. Could you not trust him? You were one of his first true friends, you know. He'd never really had any before. And so easily… so easily you turned your back on him. Then, when you turned back with pathetic apologies, he welcomed you back with wide open arms, never blaming you like you did him.

"And two years later you make the exact same mistake… Oh so blindly. But this time, it was much worse. Yes, accusations of murder. Did you truly think him capable of such _tragic_ feats? Such terrible accusations against your _best friend_. But of course, once Voldemort was gone, perhaps you could step up, take the glory that Potter always had, unwanted or not. It was an ideal opportunity, was it not? Couldn't let it pass… Even if it meant possibly the _life_ of another. Such avarice is most unbecoming of one so _humble_ as you…" His voice was hypnotic. Ron found himself falling into a sort of trance, unable to truly control his actions, though he only nodded to what was true, which was – unfortunately for him – everything. He could hear the murmuring of the others; some shocked, some accusatory, some sympathetic – to both him and Harry.

As Wolf stopped speaking, Ron found himself reviving from the trance-like state he had just been in. He found himself unwisely opening his mouth to speak.

"How dare yo-" it seemed that Wolf enjoyed cutting people off.

"Oh, I dare, Weasley. The question is," he let the pressure against Ron's neck lessen slightly. "Do you?" He grinned mirthlessly, baring his teeth, taking away any sense of lightness that might have been present.

He stepped back, and inspected his work. Ron was shaking slightly, and a thin sheen of sweat covered his face and neck. Ron raised his eyes, and glared at his opponent. He raised his wand.

"_Stupefy_!" He shouted, watching smugly as the red light shot towards the silver-haired man. Yet just as it seemed that Wolf would be hit, he vanished. Ron blinked in confusion, staring at the spot where Wolf had once stood. "Wha-" he started, brows furrowed in confusion. He froze as he felt a smaller blade push against his spine. It did not cut in, but it pressed painfully.

"Is that what you want?" asked a cold voice beside his ear. He jumped, trying not to aggravate the situation too much. "A duel?" continued the icy vocals. "By all means," the pressure was released, and Ron's shoulders slumped in relief. "I'm all for it," he glanced up as Wolf reappeared in front of him, watching him intently. He saw the man's lip twitch, the mocking gaze infuriating him.

"Yeah," he said, sticking up his chin rebelliously. "I _will_ duel you, you good-for-nothing low-life!" He spat, his anger getting the better of him. How _dare_ this man come waltzing into his life, and accuse him _in front of everyone_ of all those deeds? He would show him! He would show everyone! No one messed with Ronald Weasley and got away with it!

Wolf held only his sword, as he sheathed his dagger. He could tell by Ron's posture that he was going to act recklessly. He hadn't even taken up a proper battle stance. He shook his head mentally, then let his sword drop to his side, tilting his head mockingly. Then, to add insult upon insult, he turned slowly, so that his back was towards Ron, and he was facing Naomi. He saw her smirk, and knew that Ron's face was priceless. He would have turned around, but he didn't want to ruin his act.

"Perhaps you should cover Angel's eyes…" He suggested. "You know that she doesn't always like watching poor _innocent_ souls getting beaten up," he said, not bothering to turn around, as he sensed Ron's anger flare. He smirked slightly, then erected an invisible shield around himself and Ron. Nothing would be able to enter, and nothing would be able to leave.

The redhead pointed his wand straight at Harry's heart. "_Reducto_!" He yelled, only to find himself pointing at nothing. There was a blur to his left, and with a solid _crack, _he felt something solid collide with his midsection. Gasping in pain, he hunched to his left, holding his ribs. Somewhere behind him, he could hear fearful and angered voices crying out, but he couldn't tell who was yelling. Only when he stopped to breathe did he figure out that he was one of them.

Wolf smirked in satisfaction. He'd broken at least two of Ron's ribs. "Oh dear," he said softly, his voice carrying his mocking tone. "Did that hurt? Come now, I hit you with the flat of the blade… The edge of it would have been _much_ worse, I assure you."

"_E-expelliarmus_!" said Ron feebly, as he attempted to breathe and hex at the same time. Another blur, and two more _cracks_, and he felt his arm bones shatter. With a loud scream of pain, he dropped his wand.

"Now, now, musn't be hasty. A blade through the arm would be much more painful. I _did_ do my best to reduce the pain. After all, I wasn't sure how well you would be able to handle it… I suppose I was correct in guessing 'not very well'". Wolf's voice seemed to hiss into Ron's ear, mocking him with that galling sarcastic tone. If only he could…

_Smack_! His left arm was burning. His attempt to pick up his wand with his other hand and hex the man was shattered – quite literally. He'd never truly used his wand in his left hand, but it couldn't have hurt to try – except that it did. Blood ran down his arm, and he was grateful that the sword wasn't double-edged. Still, it did nothing to quell the fiery pain that shot through both of his arms. He sobbed in pain, his breath coming in ragged pants as pain shot through his ribs. He glanced up at his opponent, to see the man watching him with that same mocking smile.

"Tell me," said Wolf softly, "Does it hurt? Does it hurt like being betrayed by those closest to you does? Can you compare those pains? Is it worth it, for all the gold that you were given, bribed?" He stared disdainfully. "What you feel is but a fraction of the pain that you have caused." He glanced at his blade, where a few drops of blood marred the perfect beauty of the weapon. Raising it up to his lips, he gently licked up the red lifeblood, leaving the blade shimmering, unblemished. "I could, of course, fix that," he walked up to Ron, who was still whimpering in pain. He glanced up at the Order, who were all staring at him in shock and anger, with flickers of fear. If he could do that to Ron, a top Auror…

He raised his sword, placing the blade at Ron's neck, and stared Dumbledore in the eye. _I could do it, old man. Do not underestimate me._ He could not project the words across the shield, but his eyes told Albus everything he needed to know. Wolf was capable and willing to kill.

Raising his arm for the killing blow, he heard screams of fear coming from many of the Order Members. He stared at them coldly, his blade flashing in the moonlight's cold glow. Swinging his arm down, the blade arced smoothly, leaving no doubt in their minds. Ronald Weasley was about to die.

A body through itself at the shield, only to be sent flying back, knocked unconscious, slamming into a few bodies on the way.

Wolf let his lip curl slightly in disgust. A quick flip of his wrist changed the intent of the blade completely. Instead of hitting with the blade, the end of the hilt of his katana slammed into Ron's head, knocking him unconscious immediately. He stared impassively, then stepped over the immobile body. Walking with deliberate slowness, he approached Dumbledore, who was watching him with shocked and almost fearful eyes. He stopped, and watched calmly as Hermione sobbed into her hands, while the others tried to wake Mrs Weasley, who had tried to break through the shield. With a simple thought, he dispersed said shield.

"I would not dirty my blade with such foul lifesource," he sneered, and turned away. "You are not welcome here, Dumbledore. It would be wise of you to leave, and never come back. I give you this," he gestured towards Ron's unconscious body, "as a warning and a gift. Death would have suited this coward better,"

People had already converged around the redhead's body, trying desperately to heal him, frantically babbling about needing Madame Pomfrey's aide.

Yet despite all he had done did not seem to be enough in terms of warning. Before he had taken more than two steps, another voice stopped him, this time belonging to a certain female he had absolutely no wish to confront. And yet, it seemed that it was inevitable.

"_You _are the coward, not him!" shrieked a shrill voice, though it didn't seem to lose the 'know-it-all' condescending tone. Wolf did not turn. He didn't need to turn to identify the speaker, Hermione. "How could you attack him like that? He did nothing! You're bloody pathetic, that's what! Attacking others just because they make rightful accusations!" Hermione glared at him. That is what happened, right? Ron had defended Dumbledore, obviously taking his job seriously. Then this – this _stranger_ had taken advantage of Ron's weakened state – obviously inhibited by his anger, and had proceeded by attacking ruthlessly, while Ron shot harmless spells. She couldn't believe the _nerve_ of this man! "He shot a few harmless spells! That's it! Then you go and purposely harm him, and nearly kill him!" Her voice was rising with every word, and Wolf had to force himself not to cover his sensitive ears with his hands.

Dumbledore did not seem inclined to stop the raving woman. Obviously he felt that Hermione would be safe from him. Still, he did not turn, having no wish to see the girl he had once called a friend. Having to deal with Ron was bad enough.

"What, not turning around? Not _courageous_ enough to face a mere woman? I'm not going to break under your 'almighty' power, you know," she spat, eyes blazing as she approached him. "Not so tough now, are we?" her eyes strayed slightly, and landed on Naomi, who was glaring daggers at her, then to Angel, who was staring at her with those innocently accusing eyes. She pushed away the guilt that tugged at her, as she opened her mouth to speak those condemning words. "Such weak men shouldn't be allowed to have children. They may be contaminated by the filth from their parents. I'm sure the ministry would _love_ to hear about what a terrible father you are. I could get your child taken away, so that you'd never see her again. She'd be glad, I'm sure. Perhaps an orphanage would be good enough for her, perhaps she-"

At this point, Wolf felt his parental instincts flare into being once again. This _woman_ was threatening him. She was threatening to take away his child. He would _never_ allow that.

He swung his body around, left arm snapping out. With a resounding _crack_, backhanded her, his hand colliding painfully with her cheek. The force of the blow sent her sprawling to the ground, crying out in pain. She clutched her cheek, now with the imprint of his hand. Her jaw was in pain, and was most likely dislocated, but that seemed like the least of his worries. He was approaching her, and she was… well, helpless.

Wolf growled slightly. Insults and threats to himself, he could take easily, but threats to Naomi or Angel would never go unpunished.

His eyes glinted dangerously as he approached her, warning the others away with a sharp glance. He stopped just before her, staring down at her coldly. She clutched her cheek in pain as she stared up at him fearfully.

"I do not make it a habit of hitting women, but then," he stared at her mockingly, "you are not a 'mere woman' are you?" He used her words against her. His expression hardened, eyes narrowing slightly. "_Never_", he hissed, "threaten my child. I will not involve yours, but in return, you must not involve mine," he stated icily, staring at her with an accusatory glance. She flinched and looked away guiltily. When she dared look up, he was already striding away.

She was eventually helped up by Dumbledore, who was staring after Wolf, a slight frown upon his normally joyful face, normally twinkling eyes taking on a calculating look. Something would indeed have to be done.

* * *

"Dumbledore confronted Wolf, my Lord," the cold voice spoke smugly, the figure kneeling on one knee as it spoke, bone white mask hiding the face from view. "It did not go as he planned. I do believe that Dumbledore has made himself another enemy." Coal black eyes glittered, as they stared at the feet of his Lord. 

"Isss that sssso," hissed the voice musingly, unconsciously hissing his 's'' longer than usual, as he always did when he was pleased with something. "Tell me more," he commanded, leaning back in his large throne-like chair. This would prove to be invaluable information. A small smile flitted across his face, but instead of lessening the maliciousness, it increased it ten-fold.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Well, typed it up pretty much in two evenings o.O; but took forever to actually get started… Wasn't sure how to do it. Hope you guys enjoyed it! Was quite a bit of fun typing it, I must say I know, nothing really against Dumbledore, but I wanted to focus more on Ron, since Ron _was_ Harry's best friend. 

I also updated chapter one, just at the end. Might be good to read it, it's not much, just a little bit, but I think it adds a bit… Especially for the future chapters.

Just for some random information…I FINALLY got Eldest from the library! And maaaaan, the ending… rawwwr… -sigh- so sad…. –shakes head- Really got me waiting for the next one!

A few notes… some responses to reviews… Yes, I know, pole-dancing… It IS random, but I've researched, and it's not just what you see in strip-clubs(and Wolf's club _isn't_ a strip club J ) it requires much effort and muscles. It also helps him with his weapon training, etc. Yes, he DOES wear clothes.

Also, yes, Tonks was rather OOC, but I needed some characters to play certain roles, and, well, I rather liked Tonks xD. So, you get an OOC Tonks! Congratulations!

No, I did not watch the credits for HP4… why? What did I miss? .


	11. Even More Discoveries

**Summary**: Framed for murder, Harry finds himself sentenced to Azkaban, as the wizarding world believes themselves rid of Voldemort forever. Only Harry knows the truth, but no one will believe him. Betrayed by friends, Harry finds out his true heritage, and disappears upon his release. After restarting his life in a completely new setting, he finds out that his past has no intention of leaving him alone.

**Disclaimer**: I'm sure you all know it by now… None of the characters you recognise are mine. Simple as that.

**Chapter 11: Even more discoveries**

Hermione slammed the heavy stack of books onto the table with a loud _wham_, startling people out of their reveries. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, and produced a piece of parchment from her pocket.

"Here," she said, pointing at the small list of creatures written in neat, precise handwriting. "These are all the species who have elemental powers." She pointed at the books, each with a few pieces of paper sticking out. "All the information we need is in these books," she collapsed into a chair with a relieved sigh, as she saw Dumbledore pick up the list. "I narrowed it down to all possible categories," she said, "Although I believe some are said to be extinct races."

Dumbledore nodded. "Thank you, Mrs Weasley." He glanced at the list, eyes flicking down, skipping a few such as Goblins, who seemed to have a small amount of control over Earth Elements, until he had the list narrowed down even more.

_Vampire_

_Elf (Light or Dark)_

_Fae_

_Demon_

Dumbledore stared at the list for a little while longer, then nodded, and passed it around. Those were the four species that were deemed possible. The others either nodded or shivered and quickly passed it on, as if disgusted or scared of the races.

Hermione nodded. "I thought as much," she said, before passing the list back to the wizened wizard. She waved her wand, and four of the books flew over to the headmaster, opened in the correct page.

"_To shed some light on the Vampire race,_" Dumbledore began reading, "_we will begin with the two different types of Vampires. The two types are Dominant and Submissive. The Submissive Vampires have no or little control over their actions. They prey on humans as insects would. They have no emotions save fear and anger. They live off of instincts, and kill all those who stand in their way. Petty squabbles over a meal kill many, and those which to not die generally get killed off by the Dominant Vampires. The only way to change the mindset of a Submissive Vampire, is for it to bond with a Dominant. However, Dominant Vampires only choose to bond with Submissive Vampires who were strong enough to resist most of the Submissive tendencies, such as ruthless killings and mindless fighting. Once bonded, the Submissive Vampire has the opportunity to evolve into a Dominant Vampire, should it be strong enough. Once evolved, the now-Dominant Vampire no longer requires the Bond, and can leave whenever it wants. _

"_The Dominant Vampires take it upon themselves to eradicate the Submissive Vampires before they cause too much harm. However, it seems impossible to eliminate all, for Submissive Vampires are easily created. A careless feed, and improper death, and a new Submissive is created. _

"_Vampires are a wary species. They rarely show themselves to other beings, and when they do, few are left alive to tell the tale. It is advised to run when finding oneself face to face with one of these dangerous creatures. No descriptions are available, as no Vampire has been seen for centuries. It is said that they carry the ability to control certain elements, but it has yet to be fully proven._

_"Vampires are immortal, but require the blood of a living being to continue living. Many can survive without for long periods of time, but eventually they will require the intake of blood. It is unknown what can truly kill a vampire, but fire is the weapon most commonly used. It is said that so long as the ashes are scattered, the Vampire cannot rebuild their bodies_.

"_While researchers have not been able to come up with much explanation for how Submissive Vampires came about, it is said…_" Dumbledore scanned the rest with his eyes, then shook his head. "Nothing more there," he said, replacing the book. "It gives no physical descriptions, nor that of powers and abilities," he sighed. "Perhaps there is another book to be found on Vampires…" He glanced back at the pile. "However, shall we continue?" He asked, almost merrily, as if trying to solve a jigsaw puzzle that seemed to be missing a few pieces.

"_The Fae are a reclusive race. Little is known about the species, and no Fae has been seen in many centuries, and it is rumoured that they are an extinct race. They are said to be talented particularly in the area of glamours and charms. They use the Earth element to aid their magic. They have a close affinity with Nature and Animals. Few have seen a Fae without their Glamour, but it is said that they have a beauty that is unmatched by any Human. However, those who were lucky enough to spot one and recognise them for what thy were have been seers, and had said that they felt disoriented and dizzy when they looked at the Glamoured Fae._" The author continued on, but it still had no true connection. Dumbledore shook his head, and picked up the next book.

"_Demons are extremely rare beings. They rarely appear in worlds other than their own, but when they do, generally, chaos ensues. They survive on blood, destruction, pain, and often sexual feelings or actions. Their realm is a kingdom of pandemonium. There is no order. Only the strongest survive. However, in various parts, small cities of demons live in relative peace, and carry almost ordinary lives, if one could put it so. Such cities last as long as the ruling demon lives. Generally, it is where the younger demons reside until they are strong enough to leave into the rest of the realm._

"_Demons are extremely dangerous creatures. Their human shapes hold undeniable beauty, irresistible and deadly. They often use their looks to seduce others, and then manipulate them to do their will. It is hard to tell a demon from a normal human being, but it is possible to sense their dark auras._

_To breed…_" Dumbledore stopped, scanning the rest, before glancing up. "It is a possibility," he said, placing the book down.

Picking up the last one, he once again scanned the first few paragraphs, before beginning to read.

"_Elves, often referred to as the 'Fair Folk', are among the most powerful of all races. However, it is common knowledge that there are no Elves left. They were wiped out after a war among themselves hundreds of centuries ago._

"_Elves are immortal, and thus reproduction is extremely rare. For a couple to produce a child is an event that will quite literally go down in Elvin history. To attempt to separate an Elven parent from their child is quite similar to committing suicide. Deep internal parental instincts will kick in immediately. With an almost animal-like ferocity, they will defend their kin to the death. The child will have an intimate bond with it's parents, adding a bit of its own soul to the bonded pair, until it is old enough to survive on its own._

"_Elves can only reproduce with those they Bond with. Two Soul Mates can Bond, and will then share everything they have except for bodies. They can sense when the other is upset, happy, in danger, or in any type of situation. They will have intertwined their souls to become one. They will not be bonded forever, and the bond will eventually unravel, but it will take many centuries. Until it completely severs, they will depend on the other hand and foot. To break the bond prematurely, whether by death or other means, would result in almost certain death for the other. The sudden loss of part of the soul would be too great to handle._

"_There are two types of Elves: Light Elves, and Shadow Elves. Light elves control two types of Magic: An Element, and Light magic. They will specialize in one type of magic, and have a small grasp on the other. For example, an elf could have the strongest known control over the Air Element, but have extremely little control over Light magic, which brings life and joy to the Earth. Light Elves are known for bringing birth of life, healing and joy to those around them._

"_Shadow Elves are said to be the opposites of Light Elves. Known as the Bringers of Justice, they are more commonly known as the Darker species. Shadow Elves also control two types of Magic, one being an Element as well, and the other being Shadow magic. Not much is known about Shadow magic. It is said to be Dark, for only those with cruel intent can wield it. As mentioned earlier, Shadow Elves are sometimes referred to as the Bringers of Justice, for while they did not bring Life and Healing, they brought Justice to those who wronged others. However, it is unknown of its origins, but among the Elves, evil intentions began corrupting their minds, until they were dead set against all Light beings. They tainted their Shadow Magic, until only those with evil intentions could wield the corrupted power._

"_Consequently, a war erupted between the two species of Elves. Both races were wiped out._" Dumbledore glanced up, to see Hermione frantically scribbling down some notes, while biting her lower lip in concentration. After a few moments, she glanced up.

"It makes sense! This is the one! The others are somewhat possible, but this one makes the most sense!" She exclaimed excitedly. Molly looked rather pale. "Extremely protective, and control an element! This is it!" She blinked, then frowned. "But they're supposed to be extinct…" she mused aloud, sitting back in her chair to ponder the idea.

"Unfortunately, the species are too old to have any information on their powers and strengths. Even if Mr Wolf _is_ an Elf, we have no idea what feats of magic he can perform," he said seriously, eyes scanning the Order members present at the meeting. "If you do happen to run across him again, I want you all to be _extremely_ careful. We do not know what he is capable of doing, and I am sure that you do not want to be the lab rat," how Dumbledore knew of laboratory rats was unknown to most, but they decided against questioning his knowledge.

"So then, this, this _Shadow Elf_ has Harry as a captive? Who knows what he's done with him! Probably corrupted him. Probably already joined You-Know-Who" Snarled Ron, crossing his arms.

"Ron, Dearest, we don't know if Mr Wolf truly _is_ a Shadow Elf. For all we know, it could have been an extremely powerful spell!" Chastised Hermione, though she herself did not look completely convinced about it. After all, he'd had no wand. Even those few who had managed to master the art of Wandless Magic had not had _that_ much power.

Ron was staring at the description of Shadow Elves with an uneasy look on his face, as if he did not want to acknowledge the fact that such beings existed. Hermione was looking rather worried. She had, after all, threatened a rather dangerous man. Now that she thought about it, the chances that he was an Elf were rather great. The thought did not help her situation at all.

Remus stared into the flames dancing merrily in the fireplace, as if mocking his sorrowful thoughts. What _had_ happened to Harry? He sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly. The only person who knew was this Wolf person. So maybe… Maybe he would have to confront Wolf, once again.

* * *

Wolf closed his eyes. "Maybe I shouldn't have hit her…" he murmured softly, leaning his head back against the office chair. 

"Wolf," said Naomi, her tone warning him against continuing his train of thought.

"I know, I know, we've been through this before," he sighed and ran a hand through his long hair. "But I can't seem to get it out of my head," he growled slightly in frustration.

"It is guilt that has no place in the present. You would have felt that as Harry Potter. But now, you are Wolf. You are not the same person you once were, Wolf. You can not feel guilt for an action that she brought upon herself. You _know_ this," she said fiercely, leaning against his cluttered desk. "Now, I'm going to go make us lunch. I gave Tippy the day off, as you requested. She was rather adamant about staying, but even she can not break through steel," she winked, then sauntered out, hips swaying gently, acutely aware of Wolf's gaze.

Said Wolf sighed and shook his head, as she closed the door. Sempath would be here any moment. He sat up straighter and smoothed over his features just in time for a hesitant knocking on the door.

"Enter," he said, voice carrying. The door opened slowly, and Sempath entered, uncertainty marring every move. "Sit," he motioned towards a loveseat facing his desk. "Now," he leaned back slightly, observing her impassively, cold eyes watching her steadily. She shifted uncomfortably, as if wishing to look away, but unable to break free of his gaze. "I want you to know," he paused slightly, as if to emphasize his point, "That _nothing_ that happened last week is of your fault." He saw her head jerk up in satisfaction, eyes widening slightly as she watched him in surprise. "Do I make myself clear?" He questioned icily, as if daring her to blame herself. At her hesitant but relieved nod, he decided to continue on. "But I did not ask you here simply to tell you that," he stood up, reaching for something on his desk. "You graduate soon, do you not?" At her nod, he proceeded. "What will you do after? What are your plans? You can not tell me that you have no dreams of the future," he said, watching her as she stared at him in shock. "Well?" He snapped, after she failed to respond within the allotted time slot of two minutes.

Sempath jumped slightly, then smiled apologetically. "Well, I…" She paused for a few moments, "I wanted to go to University, but…" She trailed off uncertainly. There was no way she could afford it, even with scholarships. She had worked hard to get a good enough GPA to be accepted to some of the more prestigious Universities, and had even received a few scholarships indeed, but it was not enough to pay for everything. She'd realised that a few weeks ago. University was out of the option.

"But?" Came the cold reply.

"But… I do not have enough money to attend…" She mumbled, staring at the ground. She could feel his cold gaze boring holes into the top of her head. She knew why he was acting like this, but that did not mean that she had to like it. When he was this impersonal, it was all but impossible to decipher whether she had done something incorrect or not… Of course, he was simply trying to make sure that everything was understood clearly, precisely as it should be, but… She shook her head mentally, focusing on the discussion at hand.

"You work hard," said Wolf, his gaze turned speculative. "You study hard, you receive high marks – some of the highest in your grade, in fact," he spoke musingly. "You have received scholarships from a few universities. You have your heart set on McGill University in Québec, Canada. Is that not so?"

Sempath stared. How did he know so much? Had she been that blatantly obvious? Well, she had researched much on the different universities… But she'd never shown her Graded Reports to anyone. It was known that she went to school during the day, but surely… Surely anyone who lived in the streets would not actually _study_…

Wolf let his lip curl slightly. "Surely you did not think I knew so _little_ about the members of _my_ gang, did you?" His tone was slightly scornful, but he knew that she could see through it.

She gave a rather sheepish smile, "Well…" She shrugged slightly, "I hadn't really thought about it, I suppose," she grinned.

Wolf did not quite manage to suppress a snort, though he _did_ manage to turn it into a cough. Grabbing one of the envelopes, he walked around his desk, and handed it to her. "Congratulations," he said softly, though no less coldly, "After your graduation, you will be attending McGill University. Remember that you are a part of Ombres, now and forever, whether you choose to return after your studies or not. Become a veterinarian, a doctor, a social worker… It does not matter," he reached into the pocket of his shirt, and drew out a small hoop earring, a running wolf howling in the wind attached. Handing over the dangling treasure, he placed it gently in her hand, closing her gentle fingers around the piece of jewellery. "What is ours is yours, Sempath. We are not poor. Sending you to university will barely dent our savings. If you back out of this now, you will be treated like any traitor to the gang." He smiled a feral smile, teeth bared. Yet, his eyes told a different story. Warmth glimmered within the silver and jaded depths, easy to spot if one knew where to look.

She stared at him in shock, eyes widened, mouth agape. "I…" She started, then paused, unsure of what to say. "Thank you," She said finally, softly. She placed her right fist over her heart, and bent her upper body slowly, in a formal, ancient bow. When she looked up, she saw him watching her, eyes narrowed slightly in thought. And yet, even as she watched, his thoughts turned to another subject. She could tell by the flicker in his eyes, then the iciness reappearing, where warmth had once resided. She knew exactly what he was thinking about. "They hurt you, didn't they," She said, a rhetorical question. "In more ways than you can imagine, they hurt you. They tore out your heart, and crushed it into the floor." She smiled sadly. "And yet, and yet…" She watched him carefully, fully aware of the risk she was taking. To probe this deep could easily be one of the most dangerous things she had ever done. He was a reclusive man, and had shared his past with few. "And yet you still find it hard to escape the guilt that you should not feel… Don't you?" He was staring at her, face cold, hiding the emotions she knew he was struggling with. "Don't you… Harry Potter" She finished, staring him in the eye. She knew she had gone far, but she would repay him in kind. An eye for an eye. That was how it was on the streets, after all.

Wolf felt his breath catch. She knew? How could she know? He fought for control inside. So easy it would be to let it all lose… But no, he would not. He could not. She knew what she was doing. There was a reason why. He'd always known that she was observant, smart, empathetic, but this? She had truly stunned him. He simply stared, waiting for her to continue. She knew the rule: An eye for an eye. She knew one of his secrets, now she would reveal one of her own.

She smiled a rather sorrowful smile. "Yes," She said softly, eyes on the ground near his feet. "I know. I have told none. I confirmed my suspicions last week. But if it were not for my… Past… I would not have known. You did well, though. Hiding in France… Learning a new language, taking up a… job… that none would ever suspect… Training while entertaining" She grinned slightly, raising her eyes for a few moments. "But I suppose you are waiting. Yes," She took a deep breath. "I know because… as you know… Sempath is not my real name…" She waited for his nod, which he obliged with a sharp movement. "My name," She whispered, before raising her voice, and lifting her head proudly, "My name is Carina Malfoy"

* * *

Fleur smiled as she glanced at the letter. It appeared that Remus was rather excited about something. His writing was slightly messier than usual, and had a 'hurry up and read' look to it. _About time_, she mused. He had been so depressed ever since… She sighed. Ever since Harry Potter was put into Azkaban. She doubted he had ever fully recovered. So many years he spent, gathering information, trying to find enough to free the poor boy. It was all in vain, though. He did not have Albus Dumbledore's support. She smoothed out any creases in the hastily folded paper, and began reading. 

'_Dearest Fleur,_

_I hope this letter finds you well, and finds you soon. I know that this may seem like a big request, but it is of utmost importance to me. I wish to find Harry Potter. Yes, I know that so do many others, but for me, it is because of different reasons. As you know, I never did support Harry's imprisonment. It was too much like Sirius' life, that it scared me. Harry would never do that. He'd had enough problems facing the fact that he would eventually have to kill Voldemort. Many a night were spent comforting him, after his gruelling training. No one else seemed to be there for him. But I was proud to be the one he came to. Now I wish he would come to me even if only once more._

_The only person who knows what happened to Harry is Wolf. As you know better than the rest of us, Wolf lives in France, and owns many clubs and pubs. I wish to ask for your help in finding this mysterious man. I need to speak with Harry. I need to see what has become of him. If I do not, I fear I shall never be able to sleep properly at night. Of this, I beg of you. Help me find him._

_Oh, and Tonks sends her regards._

_Sincerely,_

_Remus Lupin'_

Fleur smiled again, and stood up. Bill would wish to see this, and he would be pleased. Her eyes sparkled merrily. Things were looking up.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Hope you like the chapter… Descriptions are long, I know, sorry about that! But… I rather needed to make in obvious that Wolf could be none of the other races. Of course, the books are not _completely_ accurate… hinted by the 'it' so often used eheh… But… they take it one hundred percent seriously, sooo… **-**shakes head**- **Anyway… Another cliffhanger… heh. I was going to continue on, but decided that it seemed like an ideal place to stop –chuckles- it will be revealed in the next chapter do not worry! I also wanted to post this chapter… Since it _has_ been a rather long time since I updated. 

Well, that's about all I have to say… so… Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all! **And thank you VERY much for ALL of your reviews! -big smooch-**


	12. To judge and to condemn

**Summary**: Framed for murder, Harry finds himself sentenced to Azkaban, as the wizarding world believes themselves rid of Voldemort forever. Only Harry knows the truth, but no one will believe him. Betrayed by friends, Harry finds out his true heritage, and disappears upon his release. After restarting his life in a completely new setting, he finds out that his past has no intention of leaving him alone.

**Disclaimer**: I'm sure you all know it by now… None of the characters you recognise are mine. Simple as that.

**Author's Note**: My Muse ran away with Free Time, and came back with a baby that they named School Work. Sorry for the looong delay .

But I have to say: THANK YOU TO ALL OF MY REVIEWERS! Especially the past few weeks! Your reviews are what kept my typing! Without them, I would have taken MUCH longer to update! Your continuous support and urgings to update helped TREMENDOUSLY! I owe you all big! THANK YOU!

**Last time:**

"_And yet you still find it hard to escape the guilt that you should not feel… Don't you?" He was staring at her, face cold, hiding the emotions she knew he was struggling with. "Don't you… Harry Potter" She finished, staring him in the eye. She knew she had gone far, but she would repay him in kind. An eye for an eye. That was how it was on the streets, after all._

_Wolf felt his breath catch. She knew? How could she know? He fought for control inside. So easy it would be to let it all lose… But no, he would not. He could not. She knew what she was doing. There was a reason why. He'd always known that she was observant, smart, empathetic, but this? She had truly stunned him. He simply stared, waiting for her to continue. She knew the rule: An eye for an eye. She knew one of his secrets, now she would reveal one of her own._

_She smiled a rather sorrowful smile. "Yes," She said softly, eyes on the ground near his feet. "I know. I have told none. I confirmed my suspicions last week. But if it were not for my… Past… I would not have known. You did well, though. Hiding in France… Learning a new language, taking up a… job… that none would ever suspect… Training while entertaining" She grinned slightly, raising her eyes for a few moments. "But I suppose you are waiting. Yes," She took a deep breath. "I know because… as you know… Sempath is not my real name…" She waited for his nod, which he obliged with a sharp movement. "My name," She whispered, before raising her voice, and lifting her head proudly, "My name is Carina Malfoy"_

**Chapter 12: To Judge, and to Condemn**

Wolf narrowed his eyes slightly. Carina Malfoy. Malfoy. But he said nothing. He would let her speak. She was sincere. She had always been sincere. She had never lied to him. He would give her the benefit of the doubt. He owed her that.

"I… My father… Draco… He married a French Pureblood by the name of Gabrielle Delacour… Perhaps you have heard of her… It was an arranged marriage. I was their first child. But alas," she gave a sad, bitter smile, "I was tested, and was found to be a squib." She closed her eyes, blinking back tears. "They had become too attached to me to abandon me to an orphanage… But they could not keep me and ruin the Malfoy name…" She grimaced, but shook her head and continued. "They resorted to sending me to one of Gabrielle's distant aunts who could raise me. I would have been better off in an orphanage," She spat, eyes flashing in anger. With what seemed like great difficulty, she calmed herself. "I was looked down upon. I was a squib. I was useless. I might as well have been called a _muggle_." She felt the sting of tears, her breath catching in a slight sob. "I was worthless." Her body trembled slightly, shoulders shaking. "I…" She gasped out, "I couldn't handle it. I had to leave. It took a while, but I found Ombres… And I was safe," She ended in a whisper. She had run away at the age of twelve, and had been with Ombres since the age of thirteen. After minutes of deep calming breaths, she managed to control her breathing. "There were kind people back there… Gabrielle's sister, Fleur… She was very kind. Gabrielle visited a few times, but rarely. She was always occupied, and whenever she saw me, she would burst into tears. She sent me presents every Christmas and birthday though. I truly believe that she cared. Even Draco would send a letter once and a while.

"It was my fantasy, you know. It was my fantasy to be with them… To be a witch who could performs feats of magic that would make my parents gasp and applaud in wonder and joy… To be a part of the family that was so cruelly ripped away by the hands of fate… But that is all that it was… a fantasy. I was considered dead by the wizarding world. Dead a week after birth. I took on a new name… Andonné Mathieu… A French orphan taken in by the _kindly_ Hauthéa Delacour…" She twisted her lips in what was supposed to be a smile. "I used to ask why my parents left me with such a terrible person. I used to think it was because I had been naughty as a child. Hauthéa had told me that my magic had been sucked away by a demon that had been attracted to my bad deeds as a child. I cried for weeks after that. Gabrielle always said that Hauthéa was a kind person, and that I should be happy to be with her. I do not think she realised what truly happened in that house…" She closed her eyes. "But why am I telling you this? You do not need to know my personal history. Yours is bad enough." She lowered her eyes to stare at her shoes, trying to shrink back into her chair.

Wolf shook his head. "No," he said softly. "You have suffered and gotten through much." He stared at her until she raised her face, only to find herself locked in his intense gaze. "No one should have to go through what you have," he said quietly. "Know this, Carina Malfoy," he said, frowning slightly at the flinch she gave at the sound of her own name. "No matter your name or your heritage, you, to us, are, and always will be, Sempath. You sit there, ashamed of your own name. When truly, you should lift your head proudly when you speak it. Being proud of your name does not make you arrogant. Believe in yourself, Sempath. Prove to your parents that you do not need magic to accomplish your goals," he spoke the last sentence softly, gently. "What you _have_ does not make you any less of a person. What you _possess_ is of no consequence. It is what you _do_ with that which you have. If you have only one set of clothes and a tent to live in every day, but you help change the lives of thousands by cooking in a shelter, then you are truly an amazing person. And, I assure you, you have helped in many, many ways." He smiled gently. "Your parents named you true to your nature. You support us all, willingly or not," he straightened himself, "If you ever have problems with your family… Your Aunt, or even your parents… Have them come to me," he tilted his head slightly, letting the offer end the conversation.

Knowing it was said as a dismissal, Sempath nodded, smiling at him through tear-blurred eyes. "Thank you," she said softly, but the sincerity reached Wolf's ears easily.

"I expect you here next week at the usual time," he said, back to his cold demeanour. "Just because you are a Malfoy does not mean you can skip out on your job," he said.

She paused halfway through the door, before turning and smiling. "I'll be there," She said, before closing the door gently behind her.

---

Wolf sat on the swinging loveseat, hanging on their porch. Soft cushions massaged his back ever so slightly as he moved gently, eyes gazing into the sky, yet unfocused. His thoughts seemed millions of miles away from his body, flying with untamed wings. If one were to try and read his mind, they would find no orderly shelves, or labelled documents filed away neatly. No, it was a chaotic mess of thoughts and knowledge, intertwining to create new ideas, and even greater wisdom. And yet, to him, it made perfect sense. Of course, it could be like Angel and her room… To Angel, it was never messy at all.

Moments later, the silver-haired man blinked, as if coming out of a trance, and glanced to his left, where the stairs down to the lush lawn resided, and stood. Walking out slowly, he approached the end of the fidelius charm, and stepped out.

Waiting impatiently, was a large black bird, feathers glimmering in the moonlight, sharp and rather intelligent-looking eyes observing Wolf for a few moments, before hopping forward awkwardly on the lawn, and sticking out its leg, holding perfectly still while it waited for Wolf to untie its burden.

Bending down, he gently undid the knot that held the letter captive. "Such a marvellous creature…" he murmured absently, giving the raven a soft rub on its crest, which it by no means objected to. "It almost surprises me that you belong to Lord Voldemort… Then again, why should I be? He _is_ human, after all…" He chuckled slightly, shaking his head. He stood up, and glanced down. "You going to wait for a reply?" He queried, and at the bird's now-patient look, he took it as an assent. Wolf stared at the letter, his mind in turmoil. He could go…judge… decide… That way, there was no bias towards either side…

"I would suggest hearing this Lord Voldemort out, but I am sure that that is what you plan on doing," said a nonchalant voice, as a tall figure stepped out of the shadows, walking up to him. Black hair concealed part of his features, but Wolf could still make out the strong jaw line, impassive expression, and… A pair of liquid silver eyes.

Wolf blinked his shock, astounded that the man had been able to get past the multiple wards and alarms that he had set. And the fact that the man had breached not only the Fidelius charm, but a few Shadow Elf spells that none should be able to get past, unless…

The man chuckled. "Observant…" he said knowingly, "But no, do not worry, I cannot read your mind," he said, as if… well, as if reading Wolf's mind. "To a mortal, your face would be about as warm as a glacier, but to one of your kin, you portray your thoughts rather clearly," a small twitch of the lips indicated slight amusement, but no superiority.

Wolf watched him suspiciously for a moment, but for some reason, could not bring himself to tense up or worry. No, he felt… comfortable with this man. This stranger he had met only moments ago. It was odd, for he was not one to warm up quickly to strangers, but this man seemed to have captured much of his trust in a few mere minutes.

"Forgive me for my… hostile greetings," he said, bowing his head in respect and inferiority. Somehow it felt right. He was not sure why, but he felt rather insignificant compared to the man standing before him. "You took me by surprise, upon my on fault. You are the first to have been able to surprise me such," he apologized, before glancing up again, to see the stranger watching with approval.

"No, it is upon my fault, for arriving without warning, for breaching your territory without permission, for interrupting your sacred time," the man, in turn, bowed his head, though not quite as low as Wolf had.

Wolf was surprised, to say the least, when the man named the faults he had committed. "Ah, it is nothing… really…" he managed, trying to find the right words to assure the stranger that it was not his fault.

"And of course, it was an extreme fault not to give you knowledge of my title. I am known as Lord of Silver, but it would please me greatly, were to you call me Lethares. Leth for eyes, and Ares for silver," he gave a sort of half-smile. "In Ancient Elvish, of course."

Wolf bowed his head. "I am, as I assume you know, Wolf. I was, at one point in my life, called Harry Potter, but I am he no longer." He had the feeling that he did not know the depth of the honour he was being given of being able to call the Lord of Silver by anything other than Lord. The least he could do in return was to put his past out in the open, though he had a feeling that Lethares already knew about it.

Lethares gave a slight nod of approval. He studied Wolf for a few moments, before speaking. "We are Justice. We are Shadows that Judge and Condemn others. We are those who have no bias, who have no prejudice. Yet for our actions, we are looked upon as Dark, as Evil. Go, Wolf, and Judge Voldemort. Remember that you are my kin. I have set upon you the task of his judgement. Your word of him will be law. Judge with no injustice. Condemn wisely, for there will be no going back on your statement, once it has been made." He stared at Wolf with those discerning silver eyes, unblinking, fierce.

Wolf bowed his head. "It will be done," he said softly. When he looked up again, Lethares was gone.

Wasting no time, Wolf jotted down his reply, and sent it back with the rather impatient bird. He would go. He would judge. Tonight.

---

He donned his black cloak as he walked down the hallway. He found Naomi waiting for him at the door. She smiled slightly.

"Be careful," She murmured softly, brushing some hair away from his eyes.

"I always am," He replied, cupping her chin in his hand. He leaned forward and kissed her gently, letting their lips linger, as if unwilling to part from the other. "Naomi, _mon amour,_ I will be back." He drew back and caressed her cheek gently, before turning and striding out the door.

He stepped into the shadows and vanished, only to reappear moments later in the designated meeting area. For a moment, Voldemort seemed surprised to see him appear so abruptly in the middle of his meeting hall, but he masked his emotions after a split second, not willing to let himself be seen as weak.

"How good of you to join us, Wolf," He greeted, dipping his head slightly. Red eyes glinted cunningly, red eyes sunken slightly in the sockets, surrounded by pale, unblemished flesh, paler than normal standards. A flat serpent-like nose adorned the face with the brutal honesty that spoke of someone who was not quite normal. A near lipless mouth shaped the words almost sensually, barely covering white teeth, and a sharp and unrelenting tongue. Truly, he had not changed much in appearance since the last time Wolf had seen him, all those years ago.

"It is good of you to spare your precious time by inviting me," he replied, bowing his head in a gesture of equality. He could see the slight spark of interest in Voldemort's eyes at the motion, and reminded himself that though Voldemort had been labelled a Dark Lord, he was still human.

"Yes," came the reply. "We have much to discuss, is that not so?" He spoke rhetorically. Voldemort glanced around the room, watching as his most loyal Death Eaters waited patiently around the room. No one shuffled, no one coughed, no one betrayed any signs of restlessness or nervousness. Satisfied, he turned his eyes back to Wolf. "Do tell me, Wolf, what you think of my little… Proposal?" He queried, leaning forward slightly, as he awaited the Shadow Elf's response.

Wolf tilted his head slightly. "I am deeply honoured by your consideration, Lord Voldemort," he replied, pausing slightly to gather and sort his thoughts. "But I cannot choose a side. I have no part in this war, as I have said before. I am here simply to Judge. That, I am sure you already know." He watched Voldemort with shrewd eyes, waiting to see what the Dark Lord would try next.

"Yes, to Judge… Spoken as a true Shadow Elf," he said, almost smugly, as a few of the Death Eaters reacted slightly at the revelation. "But you have already seen what the almighty Dumbledore can do… Destroying a home, and nearly killing your daughter… as well as killing some of your members… It would truly interest me to know your Judgement of him…"

Wolf bowed his head forward. "My judgement of Dumbledore should not matter to you. It is for my knowledge, and that of my kin. Surely you must understand this," he said softly, perfectly confident that his words would reach Voldemort's ears, as well as those of his Death Eaters.

Voldemort narrowed his eyes slightly. "Yes," he mused aloud. "Shadow Elf to the core. You are lucky that I am this accepting of other… races," he said, watching Wolf carefully for his reaction. "It would interest me to know the wizarding world's reaction to the knowledge of your existence, as well as a few others," he smirked slightly, proud of his trump card.

"Indeed, I am sure that many would," Wolf's silver-flecked eyes glinted dangerously. "Luckily, I already know the opinion of two halfbloods," well, he was stretching the truth slightly, but it would do no real harm. "One of them is Harry Potter. The other…" His gaze grew cold, warning Voldemort of the thin ice on which he was treading. "I am sure you know of whom I speak," he watched as Voldemort's eyes widened at the significance of his statement. "I know your secret, Lord Voldemort. Do not push me to reveal what you hold most dearly." His voice held no emotions, masking the slight anger that he felt stirring within him at the threat Voldemort used so thoughtlessly. "We all have secrets that we do not wish to reveal. Most of us will do anything to keep them safe," he finished, letting the words sink in.

Voldemort's eyes narrowed, then he reclined slightly, a slight, satisfied smile playing on his lips. "Truly," he murmured, "You would have made a wonderful Slytherin, had you gone to Hogwarts," he said, thankfully abandoning the previous topic. "But as such an intelligent, skilled and cunning goal-seeker, surely you must see my reasoning towards my actions," he spread his arms slightly for effect. "Muggles," he sneered the word hatefully, "Destroy all which they do not know, which the cannot understand, which they fear. They outnumber us with such decimating numbers that there is no way we could co-exist peacefully, even if we were to try. No, they would kill us all, and so we must do as they would to us. Destroy them."

"So then," spoke Wolf softly, "you are the same as them," he stared at Voldemort, watching as the Dark Lord's eyes narrowed angrily. "You do not understand muggles," he pressed on, not giving Voldemort a chance to respond. "You see only their actions, only their fears, only the negative side, which is something that every being has. Muggles will do anything to protect themselves. They are still primal, in this area. They would see the Wizarding World as a threat, and therefore would try to destroy it. You see muggles as a threat, and you would try to destroy them. You are not so different, after all." He tilted his head slightly, watching almost sadly, as the Dark Lord stood up, anger radiating in waves that bombarded his mental shields with all of their worth. "But I fear that you are blinded by your ideals," he said softly, so softly that Voldemort almost did not hear it.

"I am nothing like a _muggle_," hissed Voldemort in fury, red eyes flaming with anger, teeth bared as he gazed down the small steps leading up to his chair, and straight at the calm figure below. "Do not dare to relate me to those inferior beings! They are nothing! They are nuisances to the world! They are dangers to our kind! And I will be the one to rid us of them all! I gave you your chance, Wolf, and you rejected me. You will regret this. It will not end here, I can assure you that," the dismissal was clear, and Wolf took it.

"No, it will not end here," he replied softly, forcing Voldemort to step forward slightly to hear him. "Know this, Lord Voldemort, that when the time comes, I will be there. You have been Judged and Condemned, as has Dumbledore. May you live well, until your judgement comes to pass," with that he turned, and strode out the door, disappearing into the shadows before any of the Death Eaters could follow him.

Voldemort stared at the door, his breathing slightly erratic. It had been a while since he had gotten so riled up. He glanced towards his Death Eaters, some of which were glancing at him worriedly. He straightened and glared, causing many to flinch away from his gaze.

"He will regret his choice," he said coldly, "Go, Bellatrix, you know what you must do," he smiled coldly as she bowed and left hurriedly, eager to be safely away from his wand. _Yessss, he will pay…_

**Author's Note**: Eeeeeh…wow… that took…one HECK of a LONG time to get out! Wow, it took FOREVER to type! My creativity ran away, and I couldn't seem to write! I spent quite a bit of time staring at the screen, hands motionless…rawr… Well, hope you like this chapter, anyway. I was going to make it a bit longer, but I decided to end it here. I'M SORRY FOR KEEPING YOU ALL WAITING FOR SUCH A LONG TIME! I'm mad at myself for letting this happen, but with all of my homework, tests, projects, exams, etc, I just didn't have that much time. The teachers went ballistic with assignments, so simply finding TIME was hard enough. I will do my best to make my next update faster!


	13. Of Shadows and Moonlight

**Summary**: Framed for murder, Harry finds himself sentenced to Azkaban, as the wizarding world believes themselves rid of Voldemort forever. Only Harry knows the truth, but no one will believe him. Betrayed by friends, Harry finds out his true heritage, and disappears upon his release. After restarting his life in a completely new setting, he finds out that his past has no intention of leaving him alone.

**Disclaimer**: I'm sure you all know it by now… None of the characters you recognise are mine. Simple as that.

**Chapter 13: Of Shadows and Moonlight**

Fleur wove her way through the thick crowd, winding away from the centre of the city and towards the dingier, shadier parts. Her blond hair was let loose, contrasting with the dark colours of her clothes. The streets were slowly becoming less and less populated, until she found herself striding through deserted streets filled with abandoned buildings and a dreary atmosphere. She forced herself not to shrink from the looming shadows, walking with a confident air, just in case any predators were lurking, waiting for weak prey to pass by.

Eventually she began to see others again, though sometimes it was simply the _snap_ of a window shutting, or a small movement in the closed blinds, effectively hiding previously spying eyes. And at last, after what seemed like hours, she came upon her destination… the part of town dominated by Ombres… and here, she would find him. She would find Wolf, and through him, Harry Potter.

She glanced up at the row of buildings, her gaze wandering up and down the perpendicular road. To turn left would mean towards the shops, and to turn right would mean towards the restaurants and clubs… well, to the right it was.

Most of the buildings looked run-down, some even abandoned. Sighing slightly, she continued on. This was not exactly someplace she would choose to be in, but at the moment, it seemed like she didn't have a choice. She picked her way around delicately, trying not to flinch away from any intimidating characters.

She sighed again, glancing at her watch. It was only two o'clock in the afternoon, and yet it felt as if she had been searching for days… she shook her head, trying to clear it. She would keep searching until she found him. She had to… not only for Lupin, but also for herself, and all of the innocent victims.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the giggling of a young child, and the sudden mass of energy suddenly ramming into her legs. With a rather un-lady-like yelp, she fell to the ground, clutching what appeared to be a six-year old girl.

"…Eurgh…?" she attempted at speech, though she found herself rather incapable of it. Another giggle brought her out of her rather dazed state. "What…" she started, pausing when she heard a voice calling apparently for the small child.

"Angel? Oh, don't tell me… not again!" a rather frustrated young woman walked into Fleur's line of site, looking stern, yet amused at the same time.

Fleur blinked. She looked… familiar. She was _sure_ she had seen her somewhere before… and then it clicked. Her eyes widened so far that she was sure that she looked like no lady at the moment. "_Carina_?"

----

Wisps of black material floated around him, like a multitude of shadows surrounding him. Yet flashes of silver met the eye, as the cloth moved towards the light and then away. Intricate patterns that seemed impossible to follow danced across the vision in a complicated pattern, ever intriguing the viewer. The soft transparent cloth was layered, such that it was thick enough to successfully cover him, yet still be light and airy. Long sleeves trailed behind, fluttering like butterfly wings in the wind, always close, but never touching the ground. It was all held in place with a finely woven belt, wrapped three times around his waist, representing his soul, separated in three. Soft tassels adorned the ends, just brushing his ankles. Soft black leather boots covered his feet. Plain, simple, with small silver-threaded patterns decorating the seams, they kept his feet not only protected, but warm and comfortable as well.

He walked behind Lethares, who was similarly dressed, though with his belt wrapped only twice around his waist. His black hair seemed to melt in with the fabric, almost giving the impression of a hood. As they walked towards the large double doors, Wolf found himself regretting the fact that Naomi had been able to talk him out of taking her with him. He had been about to argue, when she had given him a _look_. He'd melted then and there. He gave an inaudible sigh. She was probably bragging about how easy it was to control him… He shook his head slightly in amusement before schooling his features to impassiveness.

The doors opened with at an agonizingly slow pace. They were large, and made of black stone. Waiting until they were fully opened, Wolf stepped in after Lethares.

A multitude of colours bedazzled his eyes, twirling, floating, weaving together, and dancing in unfelt winds. Flashes of black, white, gold, silver, and red sparkled throughout the large room. There was little light, but no one seemed to have any troubles seeing.

Heads turned their way, and one by one, they knelt in curtsy or bow, before standing and turning their attention to him. Wolf was painfully aware of the both curious and somewhat hostile stares he was receiving.

Eventually the doors closed, and the talking and movement resumed as before. Wolf turned as a soft voice addressed them.

"Ah, you have come! Oh, Wolf, it fits perfectly. I am gladdened." Kind silver eyes watched them both fondly.

Wolf smiled and knelt slightly, bowing to Lethares' mate. "I thank you again, " he said, before standing. "It is made with a talent unequalled," he grinned slightly, as she blushed slightly and swatted his shoulder playfully with a slight chuckle.

She glanced at Lethares and smiled lovingly. "Come, you two are awaited."

Wolf followed them rather curiously, as they came upon a small set of doors, which led into what seemed like a meeting room. It was almost like an auditorium, with rising seats all facing a small centre table, headed by two seats.

"Lord of Silver, welcome," a tall man approached them, bowing deeply to Lethares. He had long flaxen hair, tied at the nape of his neck. His eyes were dominated by grey, with specks of silver floating in the depths. His eyes flicked to Wolf, glancing at his silver-dominated green eyes, narrowing slightly, then roving the rest of his body. "Greetings, Mister…" his suddenly cool voice trailed off slightly.

Wolf grinned, as if baring his fangs. "Wolf." He replied in a rather feral manner, though he could understand the other's reaction. The amount of power one held was shown through the eyes. The more they were dominated by silver, gold, black, white, or red, the more power they held.

"Ah," replied the other, eyes rather suspicious. "I am Tetou," he said, seeming reluctant to divulge such information.

Wolf dipped his head slightly. "It is a pleasure to meet you," he said, smile still fixed in place. But they were prevented from further discussion when a sudden hush fell over the crowd currently assembled in the room. A slight glow was pulsating in the darkened chamber, originating from the smaller of the two chairs. The stone seemed to be shifting colours, slowly being dominated by silver, that seemed to crawl forwards like a shadow, reaching its way onwards with groping tentacles of colour, each longer than the previous, until the entire chair was shimmering with one single colour: silver.

The hush was broken by surprised murmurs, a few exclamations, and shuffles as many attempted to see if anyone had stepped forward. Wolf could see Tetou staring at the chair, a strange look on his face, and hope shining with a passionate fervour in his eyes. And it was then that Wolf felt his gaze drawn back to the luminescent chair, a strange tugging in his heart and soul drawing him forwards.

It was odd, really. The chair was smaller than the other, and was made of stone, with no cushions or truly appealing values, and yet, in Wolf's eyes, it outshone the other to an incredible extent. He took one step forward, and then another. He heard a sharp intake of breath, which he thought originated from Tetou, but found that his attention was once more drawn towards the chair. He reached the inside edge of the crowd surrounding the two chairs and hesitated, but felt a slight nudge on his back and glanced behind him. Lethares was standing there, a slight knowing smile tugging at his lips. He gave a slight nod towards the chair and stared at Wolf expectantly.

"It is your duty," he said softly, for Wolf's ears alone.

Wolf turned his head back to the chair once again. "I have little choice, do I not?"

Lethares rested a hand on his shoulder. "No one has sat there in hundreds of years. There has been no Need. But now, it seems that it has become necessary. Should you choose to ignore its call, it will perhaps choose another. However, that is highly unlikely in this case. This chair indicates our liaison between the Shadow Elves and the Human World. Only those who have no bias towards either side have a chance. However, it has been too many years since any one of us have come in contact with Humans, and thus have too little knowledge of mortals. Thus, you, who have grown up amongst them, are the perfect candidate.

"A great conflict approaches. Soon, the Wizarding World will be thrust back into a war they thought themselves rid of. This battle will involve more than just mortals, however. Races thought extinct will be inevitably drawn in. The one who calls himself Voldemort has attracted many allies. However, Albus Dumbledore has done the same. There is a great chance that the Light Elves will side with him, for they wish for the preservation of life and happiness.

"Voldemort knows of our existence. He is not stupid. He knows of our power, but he also knows that our numbers are few. Should we decide to go against him, he will do his all to wipe us out forever.

"Our position in this war will be determined by your Judgement, should you accept this position. It may seem that this is an insignificant role, but as the mortals say, 'A single grain of rice can tip the scale'. Your actions may just save the Wizarding World." Lethares removed his hand, and watched Wolf impassively.

Wolf closed his eyes, then opened them as he turned to face the Lord of Silver. "You say all of that," he tilted his head and gave a slight smile. "And then you expect me to be able to say no?" he chuckled, thought he was unable to hide all of the bitterness in his voice. "This will not bode well with everyone," he closed his eyes again, as if to calm himself. Now, all would know of him. Again. He would no longer be able to ignore the war. After all, Voldemort would likely take neutrality as opposition. "But I suppose…" he said softly, partially to himself, and partially to Lethares, "nothing in life can be easy…" And with that, he stepped forward, making his presence known to all. Whispers broke out immediately as he walked forward calmly, stopping only when he was standing in front of the silver chair. He ran his hand over the armrests and seat, as if familiarizing himself with the symbol of his status, before turning and gently lowering himself into it.

Almost immediately, he felt the chair shifting, moulding to fit his figure. Darker silver streaks swarmed across the surface of the stone, dancing in shadowed patterns, until they settled, taking the forms of an outlined wolf howling towards an outlined dragon, which towered protectively over the smaller creature.

He reached out mentally, and was met halfway with a _presence_ that could be nothing other than the chair, which seemed more alive than not. He felt curiosity, warmth, welcome, and acceptance sweep through the link between them. He felt a small smile twitch at the corner of his lips as he ran his hand up and down the armrest, mentally murmuring words of sweet greeting. Nagasei. That was her name. _I am Wolf._ _I have a feeling we will get along very well, Nagasei._

"I, Wolf, hereby accept the responsibility of liaison between the Shadow Elves and Humans. I will Judge and Condemn to the benefit of the Shadow Elves and Human World. I will be your Nagasiin." His voice was quiet, but it carried over the voices of those still talking. By now, almost all of the Shadow Elves had gathered around, most of whom had seated themselves.

There was silence, and then the atmosphere in the room seemed to lighten considerably, as if the tension had been completely kneaded out with massaging hands. Many nodded towards him, smiles flitting across relieved faces. Murmurs of acceptance and gratitude floated to his sharpened ears.

"Regarding the matter of Voldemort," he said, glancing around, waiting for silence, "his war is not something we should all be involved him. I have Judged and Condemned him, but I will not involve other unnecessarily. It is not in our best interest to get too involved. We will not involve ourselves in this war. However, my part is not over. Many years ago I attempted to destroy him, and failed. While that is no longer my burden to bear, I will even the odds for an even fight between the two opponents. But my loyalty and alliances lie, and always will lie, right here with the Shadow Elves." He could feel assent ringing through him, as Nagasei hummed her agreement. The Shadow elves glanced at the sudden darkened glow of the chair part in wonder, part in acceptance. It was the will of the Nagasiin.

This seemed to indicate the ending of this meeting, as one by one, the Shadow Elves stood and left to the other room. Wolf stayed seated for a while longer, the link with Nagasei completely open. He could feel her reaching into his mind, through his body, investigating, satisfying her curiosity. In turn, she let him delve into her inner being. A core of energy was what he found. It seemed to be made of so many magicks that it was impossible to follow them all. But he knew that they all held one thing in common: Justice. Nagasei seemed so simple, and yet so complex. She held all forms of justice within her, as if one for each race-no, each being alive. And yet, on the outside, she was simply a chair. He smiled slightly and ran his hand over the armrest one last time and bid her farewell, leaving her humming happily to herself.

He stood slowly, and was greeted by two elves dressed in pure white. One was male, with soft blond hair cut short. Light blue eyes greeted Wolf amiably. He carefully led the female beside him. Her long blond hair seemed to glow like a halo. A soft white cloth covered her eyes, though her steps were still fluid, dainty, graceful. It seemed that she walked upon the air.

He bowed to them formally. "I greet you with utmost respect."

The male smiled. "Greetings, Nagasiin. Voire requests a moment of your time," his voice was resonant and kind, soothing to the nerves.

"Of course. I would be honoured by her presence," he replied, as he found himself smiling in return.

"Nagasiin…" the soft, melodic voice reached his ears, and he turned his attention towards Voire, who had her face turned towards him. Despite the white cloth veiling her eyes, he could feel them piercing his soul. He remained silent, not wanting to disturb her train of thought.

She reached behind her head and unfastened the soft cloth, letting it slide from its protective position on her face. She opened her eyes and looked in Wolf's direction. Though he almost expected it, he was still slightly shocked to see that her eyes were completely white. And yet, those seemingly unseeing eyes pierced his soul like nothing had before.

A soft, delicate hand reached up, cupping his jaw gently, thumb brushing his cheek as if to wipe away an imaginary tear.

"The pain of friendship,  
The satisfaction of a nemesis,

Let not your guard slip,  
Enemies never miss.

_Three for joy eternally,  
Four for pain never lost,  
Heed my warning of finality,  
Or from your soul will come the cost._"

Her voice was resonating voice faded slowly, as she removed her hand. For a moment her face held the perfect image of deep sorrow, before she reached up and retied the soft cloth, hiding her eyes and emotions completely.

Wolf bowed deeply once again. "You have honoured me with your Gift of Sight, Lady of White. Please accept my humble gratitude," he said softly, knowing that it would – with no doubt – reach her ears.

"Voire requires no gratitude. It was her wish to bestow upon you her Gift," the male at her side spoke.

The pair turned to leave, when Wolf spoke once again.

"Please, what is your name?" He called out to the male, hoping that he was not being too dishonourable, or breaking some ancient tradition.

The male looked surprised for a moment, before smiling. "I am Aveugle." He bowed his head, before turning and leading Voire out of the room.

Wolf stared after them, the words that Voire had spoken repeating over and over in his head. The prophecy sent small chills up his spine. He could not even begin to fathom how it could be applied so easily in so many different scenarios. Raking a hand through his hair, he walking slowly towards the exit.

Two pairs of eyes watched calmly as Wolf vanished into the shadows.

"Hmm?" spoke Aveugle, glancing down at Voire. "Ah, yes, he was indeed an intriguing elf. He will go far."

There was a pause as he tilted his head slightly.

"Yes," he said after a while, this time more quietly and with a tone of something akin to regret. "Yes, it is a shame."

----

Sempath fiddled with the hem of her shirt nervously, staring down at her feet. She was sitting just outside of the safe house, with Fleur standing beside her. They would be inside, but Sempath was no the Secret Keeper. She chewed the inside of her cheek worriedly. Wolf would be furious. To let someone catch her off guard like that, it was-

"How terrible," Wolf's cold, smooth voice cut through her thoughts, shattering them like glass.

Her head jerked up, her eyes meeting his, and she couldn't look away, nor keep the guilt out of them. She felt claws rake through her stomach, and gulped audibly. Angel was safe, but here she was, all but giving away where they were located, simply because-

"Fleur Delacour, part Veela from her grandmother, sister to Gabrielle Delacour, Sempath's mother. How terrible," he repeated, transferring his relentless gaze to Fleur's determined face. Once faced with this inhumane being, of course, it was a bit harder to keep up her courage. "Using your Veela status to force her into submission," he _tsked_ lightly. "One would not expect someone of your status to do something so…" he paused for a moment, considering, then spoke again, voice like ice, eyes flashing angrily "low".

Sempath stared at Wolf, eyes wide. How did he know what had happened? Then she sighed, relief flooding through her, tension leaving her tense muscles. He wasn't mad at her.

"I do not take kindly to those who knowingly manipulate those under my protection," his eyes pierced into Fleur's, as she trembled slightly, but surprisingly kept her composure.

"I come on behalf of someone 'oo wishes to speak with both you and 'Arry Potter. Not," she added, "from under the influence of Albus Dumbledore or You-Know-'Oo" Wolf had to admire her courage and determination. She had definitely evolved from the Fleur he knew before, though she was still just as stubborn.

"And this person is…?" He raised a delicate brow questioningly, letting the question linger in the air.

She blinked then suddenly looked almost anxious, perhaps worried? But when she spoke, her voice was still clear and calm. "Remus Lupin."

----

Remus stared at the setting sun, a feeling of regret burning in his stomach. Fleur had said that she'd talked with the man called Wolf, but would give him no details. He closed his eyes momentarily. He had so hoped to see Harry and apologize, and perhaps explain…

He sighed heavily and walked into the dense, isolated forest, waiting for the moon to appear. It was the last full moon before he and Tonks left for Canada. There was a werewolf pack in Quebec that allowed non-werewolves among them, and had no part in this war in Europe. He supposed one could call them cowards, running from the war, but he would not let his newly pregnant wife get too involved in her work, which he knew she would do. Tonks the hero, Tonks the saviour. Just like… his breath hitched slightly at the thought. Just like Harry.

He felt a slight tingling sensation, and knew it was starting. It was light at first, but it changed quickly. He could feel blood rushing in his veins, the painful crack of shifting bones, the almost pleasant feeling of fur sprouting along his body. His skull cracked, shifting shape, and for a few moments he saw stars, before everything came into view with a colourless yet amazing clarity, considering the lack of light. His elongated maw opened slightly, fangs gleaming in the moonlight. Sharp ears flicked slightly as he stretched, blood boiling and eager for the chase, to rip into flesh, to tear muscle, to crack bones, to taste the salty tang of blood… he felt himself tremble in anticipation, dripping fangs bared eagerly. The thrill flooding through him, he threw back his head and howled. Long and almost mournful notes pierced the cool night air, and golden eyes gleamed with bloodlust.

Yet before he had taken more than three steps, there was an answering howl. The mounting tune would have invoked shivers among most, the melody caressing the most haunting dreams. He froze, a snarl fixing itself on his face. Someone dared. Someone _dared_ invade his territory. Hackles raised, he raced towards the sound with inhumane leaps and bounds.

Just a little more and he would claim his rightful territory. He would force the other into submission. He was the alpha here, and he would not let another get away with invading what was his. Just a little more and he would-

_Wham!_

He let out a yelp of pain as a silver blur hit him full on from the side, fangs locked around his neck. They went flying, landing a few metres away. Remus struggled painfully, growling and barking, until he felt claws press against his soft underbelly, and the fangs tighten around his neck. The weight upon him was immense, and it was getting hard to breathe. He whimpered gaspingly, tucking his tail behind his legs, ears flattening against his head. For a few more moments they stayed in this uncomfortable position, until the other relented, the large mass backing slowly, still stiff-legged in challenge.

Remus immediately rolled onto his back, baring his stomach and neck in submission. This wolf was stronger than him. This wolf was alpha.

Said alpha wolf growled his acceptance, and Remus glanced up at the large wolf. Starting from the massive paws to the long silken fur, giving off silver glints in the bright moonlight. Long fangs glinted in warning, but what truly stopped him in his tracks was when he glanced up into those eyes. Those silver-flecked emerald green eyes.

----

**Author's Note**: I'm very sorry for taking so long to update. Unfortunately, much of my future depends on my schoolwork, and thus it has priority over all else I do, including this. I am currently taking a summer course that involves much writing as well, so even now my free time is limited. However, I shall do my best to update as often as possible.

I did have a bit of writer's block halfway through the chapter, which definitely did not help with faster updating o.O; but hopefully that won't happen too much.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's not my favourite, but I suppose it will do…o.O;

**Thank you SO MUCH to ALL of your reviews**! Every single one pushed me to keep writing! I am extremely thankful, and take each and every one into consideration. **I hope you guys keep reviewing xD**


	14. Wolf Lost, Wolf Gained

**Summary**: Framed for murder, Harry finds himself sentenced to Azkaban, as the wizarding world believes themselves rid of Voldemort forever. Only Harry knows the truth, but no one will believe him. Betrayed by friends, Harry finds out his true heritage, and disappears upon his release. After restarting his life in a completely new setting, he finds out that his past has no intention of leaving him alone.

**Disclaimer**: I'm sure you all know it by now… None of the characters you recognise are mine. Simple as that.

**Note:** I have a couple of errors, thanks to those who pointed them out, but as stupid as it makes me feel, I cannot change them and keep the story as it is . so you will have to bear with my stupidity xP or just not look for them. As they say, ignorance is bliss.

Also, sorry if this has odd spacing. When I uploaded it the spacing was weird and I had to fix it myself. Hopefully I didn't make any mistakes!

_Previously_

_Remus immediately rolled onto his back, baring his stomach and neck in submission. This wolf was stronger than him. This wolf was alpha._

_Said alpha wolf growled his acceptance, and Remus glanced up at the large wolf. Starting from the massive paws to the long silken fur, giving off silver glints in the bright moonlight. Long fangs glinted in warning, but what truly stopped him in his tracks was when he glanced up into those eyes. Those silver-flecked emerald green eyes._

**Chapter 14: Wolf Lost, Wolf Gained**

_ "Are you sure?" his voice was solemn, almost sad. Silver-flecked green eyes stared into the fathomless orbs of the great silver wolf in front of him.  
An elegant maw dipped in acknowledgement, eyes never leaving his own. "You will have no need of me, where you are going. He needs me much more than you do. Fear not, young one," the large creature stepped forward, its cold nose pressing into his hand gently, "I will take care of him. I will show him what he is meant to be." _

_Wolf nodded. "I know you will. I will miss you. But I suppose," a slight quirk of his lips, then "this is not goodbye. I will most definitely see you again, my friend". _

"_One last run, and together, we will howl to the moon and the stars."_

"_Yes," Wolf agreed. "One last time."_

_One last time._

_----_

Remus' tongue hung limply from his gaping mouth as he bounded after the large silver wolf ahead of him. Remus was no weakling, but this strange Alpha seemed… otherworldly. Although, that said, anything was possible in  
the world of magic.

The night was slowly fading, their steps taking them far from the Forbidden Forest from whence they had started. And the whole time, Remus had been in control. He had not taken the Wolfsbane potion, having forgotten to in his worry about Tonks, but ever since this wolf of silver pelt had arrived, he had been in control. Either that, or it was the fact that he actually longed to run with the Alpha, to be a wolf instead of human. He was not too sure what it was, but it was most certainly a blessing. He knew that should they come across a human, that he would feel no real urge to attack.

When they finally slowed down, Remus was thankful. He had no idea where they were, but the trees were thinning slightly, and the sky was slowly becoming visible. Bright stars twinkled, the occasional flash of a shooting star would momentarily leave its trail behind. There was no civilisation around, as they slowed to a trot, then a slow walk. Remus watched the Alpha, confused. Why were they stopping? What was there to see here? The night was beautiful, but…

They stepped past the final few trees, and onto what appeared to be a large cliff. It overlooked a large channel of water. The silver wolf padded forward, then sat on its haunches as it peered into the sky. The sky was slowly lightening, the stars slowly fading. Remus shivered slightly as he felt his time as a wolf ending. The full moon that glared down upon them, lighting their pathways, was slowly but surely dimming.

Wolf stared up at the sky, before turning to Remus. Then his form began to shimmer as it changed, fur receding into long silver hair, claws retracting, canines disappearing, and he stood before Remus as a man. He could sense Remus' astounded gaze on him, as he took a few steps towards the werewolf. He paused, glancing up at the sky once more. "The dog star, Sirius," he murmured softly, knowing that Remus' sensitive ears would pick it up. Sure enough, Remus' ears jerked forward, his whole body more intent on Wolf's words. "It twinkles ever brightly, smiling down on us, doesn't it," Wolf smiled slightly. "It is very forgiving, don't you think?" He  
tilted his head slightly, glancing at Remus, who was wearing a rather shocked expression. "Such a friendly, forgiving dog… loyal, loving, protective… and he truly hates to see others in pain, would you not agree?"

Remus was staring at Wolf, eyes wide, jaw dropped. He was so surprised that he forgot about his transformation until the first wave of pain hit his still form. He gasped in pain, writhing slightly as he felt the all-too familiar crack of bones shifting. Wimpering, he clawed at his arms until he felt a cool hand rest on his shoulder.

"Relax, Blessed of the Moon, do not fight it, accept it. It is your gift, and not your curse." The silver-haired man's deep voice rolled over Remus in waves of comfort, easing back the pain of his predicament.

It was a few more minutes before Remus could speak again, panting heavily from his sprawled position on the cold, slightly mossy ground. "You are…" he paused as his gasps began to subside, "Wolf…" He stared up at the man inquiringly. "Why… how…" His mind played over the words about Sirius. Was the man serious, or was he mocking him? His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "How do you know about Sirius? If you're trying to hurt me, it won't work," he turned his face away as he sat up slowly, watching Wolf out of his  
peripheral vision.

"Sirius…" The Wolf replied, a distant look on his face, until he blinked out of his reverie. "I would not taint his name by using it for pain. No. I know your pain. I simply thought that it would be good to remind you that he'll always be with you, so long as you remember him," the corner of his mouth turned up slightly into what could be classified as a smile, "as clichéd as that sounds…" He cocked his head to the side, intent on Remus'  
reaction.

"I – you – " Remus stuttered slightly, eyes wide. This man… he knew… he knew so much! And his scent… the underlying scent was one that he would never forget. Tied in with the man's knowledge, surely, he could be none other than – "Harry". His voice was hoarse, the name barely audible as a choked whisper, but the man seemed to catch it anyway.

"You always were the smart one, weren't you, Professor Lupin" Wolf smiled, jaded orbs slightly distant, reminiscing times long gone. He then blinked, eyes snapping back to Remus' face. "It's been a while," he said softly, his gaze softening momentarily.

"But – how – you – " Remus stuttered, unable to properly form a coherent sentence, shock overweighing sense. His eyes stung, and his throat was so tight that he could barely swallow. He stared at the tall figure for a few more seconds, before shifting his position so that he was kneeling, head lowered. "Forgive me," he said quietly, unable to look Harry in the face.

There was a long stretch of silence, and Remus had begun to fear that Wolf had no intentions of speaking to him, when the Shadow Elf's soothing voice reached his ears.

"You are not a dog, Remus, you have no need for a collar and leash. You are a wolf, wild and free, and yet you heel and attack when commanded. Why do you do this to yourself, Remus, why do you degrade yourself to this extent?" There was a hint of sorrow in Wolf's voice, mellowing the words that would otherwise be cutting.  
Remus shook his head. "No, I-" he stopped, brows pulled together as he looked away. "I am a werewolf," he muttered, "of what am I to be proud?"

"Of what are you to be ashamed?" countered Wolf, staring avidly at the swirling emotions in the other's eyes. "Do you think it is shameful to be a werewolf? That it is a crime, a fault?" his statement was proved at Remus' silence. "Well, you are mistaken," he growled, as he grabbed Remus' chin with his thumb and index, bringing their faces to a mere few inches apart.

"Why do you not see that?" he breathed softly, sadly, searching the werewolf's face for a sign of acceptance. He sought in vain. With a slight flick of his arm, he sent Remus stumbling back, fighting for balance.  
Remus glanced away, not willing to look at the distance between them.

"Remus…" Wolf's voice was impassive and Remus forced down a shudder. Harry had never spoken like that, but then, he hadn't seen Harry in years. And now, Harry was no longer here – Harry was now Wolf, and Remus did not know what kind of person Wolf was. It felt as if he had lost his last connection with what used to be his joys in life – the marauders.

Remus closed his eyes, feeling the familiar tingle in his nose and lump in his throat, signalling the coming of tears. This was it. From now on, he would be by himself. From now on –

"You are not alone," Wolf's words reached his ears in a breathy whisper, as strong arms wrapped around the werewolf's torso, drawing Remus to the firm body of the Shadow Elf in a tight embrace. "You have never been alone," Harry rested his chin on Remus' shoulder, "and you will never be alone. I swear it, Remus – I will never abandon you… Moony." There was a slight hitch in his otherwise calm voice, betraying his nonchalant exterior.

Remus' ambered eyes widened, his mind whirring before the action fully registered in his brain. "H-Harry!" he whispered, before letting the dam pent of emotions break loose. Shudders rippled through his body, stronger with each sob. He clenched his teeth together, grinding desperately, but sound still escaped, whimpering cries that forcefully escaped the enclosed lips. His arms came up, fingers digging into the folds of Wolf's clothing, pulling them closer together.

"Moony, you're allowed to, you know," whispered Harry softly, as he stroked the werewolf's hair. "You're allowed to cry."

Remus glanced up through a tear-hazed view, and found himself caught in his former student's gaze. Something within him shivered in anticipation. There was something there. Something primal, something was calling out to him. He found himself unconsciously leaning forward, seeking more, seeking answers.

Wolf smiled almost sadly as he moved his hands to the sides of Remus' head. "I leave him in your care," he murmured, though to which of the two he was speaking was unknown.

Remus' eyes widened as he felt Harry's gaze turn amber for a moment and tried to jerk back, but found himself stuck. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Amber eyes flickered, then returned to their original silver-green, but Remus could hear a howl echoing in his ears. Something within him stirred, eager to reply. His head felt heavy, and had it not been for Harry's hands supporting his head, he would have let it drop back. His vision swam as his mind felt an overload of – well, _something_. He couldn't explain it. It was like something had invaded his mind, or had lodged itself in his soul. For a moment he felt a flash of fear. What had Harry done? Was this his punishment? Was this –

"_Don't be stupid_" the words rang in his head, cutting off that train of thought. "_I promised him I'd take care of you, you foolish wolf._" A rattle of a chain and the snapping of metal, "_I will show you what it truly means to be a wolf._"

He felt a burst of pure joy from his heart, and a howl so free, so pure that it brought tears to his eyes. It was only when he had to stop to take a breath that he realized that it was he who was howling.

With bright eyes he looked up at Wolf and smiled. No words were needed.

----

Fleur hurriedly untied the letter from the exhausted owl's leg, allowing the owl to hop over to the stand of water and owl pellets while she opened the letter in anticipation. It had been more than a year and a half since Remus had moved with Tonks to Canada. This was the second letter she had received from them, and she was more than eager to read it.

_Dear Fleur and Bill,_

_I know that this is short once again, but I have no choice. I cannot afford__  
__to send a longer letter with too much information. However, I do wish to__  
__assure you that the Nymph and I have settled down and are happy. We wish you__  
__the best. Should you have any worries about our storm-headed friend, do not__  
__fear to cry wolf._

_Yours sincerely and with love,_

_Moony_

A small smile curved her supple lips as she folded the letter along its creases, placing it on the desk to show Bill later.

----

Wolf sheathed his sword, panting heavily and shifting uncomfortably in his dampened clothes, while Shinta stood opposed to him, smiling calmly, seemingly unfazed.

"More practice" said the asian man, a hint of amusement playing in his  
eyes.

Wolf merely grunted, then bowed. They headed to the showers, one exhausted, one amused.

"And keep your weight forward," Shinta said thoughtfully, an after comment – or a parting shot – as they split ways to the separate shower  
stalls.

Wolf growled, but said nothing, shrugging out of his clothes and stepping with relief under the warm cascading water. His tired muscles hummed with pleasure as he soothed them, plunging his head under the torrent of heat, eyes closed in relaxation. One by one he felt his muscles relax, his body unwinding from his strenuous workout, though the endorphins still ran through his veins. Then his eyes widened and he jerked to the side, a rather undignified yelp escaping his lips, as a dagger buried itself in the wall  
beside his head.

"Always stay on your guard, baka!" came the Japanese man's voice from the  
next stall.

Wolf's fist banged with a rattling thump on the wall separating the two. "Shinta!" he growled, glaring at his unseen friend. He heard a chuckle – or was it a snicker? – as the stall beside him opened, and Shinta left the bathroom, with – unknown to Wolf – a slight smirk adorning his face.

----

Wolf sighed as he quickly tied his hair into a low tail at the nape of his neck, glancing about warily in case Shinta decided to continue with his antics, before heading towards the dining area of their safe house. Upon arrival, he found himself with an armful of Angel, who was giggling.

"Daddy got… Daddy got owned" she laughed, throwing her arms around his neck.

Wolf stared at her in shock. Where had she picked up that sort of language? And just where had she – his eyes landed on Shinta, who was innocently talking to Naomi. His eyes narrowed and he growled, the vibrations in his chest provoking further giggles from the girl in his arms.

And as if the Gods had further decided to poke fun at him, Naomi glanced up from her conversation with the source of his ire, and laughed.

At this, he deflated and sighed dejectedly. "Alright, alright," he grumbled, adjusting his daughter in his arms as he approached the large communal dining table. "Pick on Wolf day, is it," he settled down in one of the chairs, before glancing wryly at Shinta, who merely smiled. He sighed and shook his head. "Any mail?" he questioned, before accepting the letter that Naomi passed to him.

"It's from Sempath," she said, smiling slightly.

Wolf nodded, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Sempath had gone to university in Canada half a year ago, with promises of visits whenever she could.

He scanned the letter quickly. " She's coming," he murmured, partly to himself, though he felt Angel perk up at this, "for two weeks, with Styx." He smiled at Angels cry of joy. Styx was a fairly new member who had joined in Canada, and who – coincidentally – went to McGill along with Sempath. He had not met her, but Sempath was known for her good judgement.

"When is she gonna come, Daddy?" Angel questioned eagerly, bouncing slightly on his lap.

Wolf glanced again at the letter, eyes falling on the time and date of their arrival, and then towards the large clock hanging rather dejectedly on the wall. "Just about – " He was cut off as a sudden swell of magic alerted his senses, and then two thumps, one beside him, and one that was less fortunate, landing in a spray of limbs on the – luckily empty - chair next to him. " – now." A quirk of his lips brought a smirk to his face, as he studied the figure sprawled out beside him. He transferred his gaze to the figure standing serenely in between himself and the now – occupied chair. He tilted his head slightly. "Styx, is it?" He said politely, observing her closely.

She nodded and smiled, a toothy grin. "Indeed it is, Wolf. Sempath has told me much about you, but she did not quite manage to do justice with her descriptions. It is a pleasure, Master of the Shadows." And with that she bowed low – too low.

Ignoring a snort that came from Shinta's direction, he shook his head. "I cannot say that I condone such behaviour, Styx," he murmured, eyes resting on her head as it jerked up, eyes wide and slightly fearful. "After all, there is no value in someone who spends all of her time grovelling on the floor. Stand up, Styx. You are not a servant."

She straightened slowly, eyes still wide and almost disbelieving, before slowly curling her lips upwards in a smile. "Thank you," a simple, straightforward and honest reply. And that was all he wanted.

----

She stared critically at her reflection, squinting slightly in the dim light. Long black hair and tanned skin was reflected, startlingly blue eyes staring back, scrutinizing. She gave a nervous glance towards the window, before applying the last touch of makeup. She would not use magic to change her appearance; there was too much risk, should someone manage to see through the glamour.

Packing away her cosmetics as quickly as she could, she felt her heart rate accelerate. Should they find her – should they find out – she wasn't too sure what she would do, or even be able to do.

Shaking her head, she stuffed the last of her items into the magically enhanced bag. But as her hand reached for the drawstring, she froze, a cold sensation flooding her veins. Her breath froze. A cold hand was gripping her heart, and she had to force herself to breathe again. She could hear the telltale_pops_ of apparition outside, and voices. Her hand shook. Wide eyes stared at the curtained window. It couldn't be. They'd found her. But how? It was _them._ That she knew. And she knew what they would do if they managed to capture her.

Her chest heaved, accommodating her suddenly racing heart. She lay a hand over her breast, and took a deep breath. She couldn't panic – she had prepared for this. Firming her hand, she closed the bag and tied it tightly, before turning to the room.

Evidence. She had to destroy the evidence. Grabbing the napkin with the logo of the wolf and the address, she stuffed it in her jacket pocket. Then, trembling slightly, she withdrew her wand and pointed it first at the desk, the dresser, and finally the bed, each with a mutter of _incendio_.

Coughing slightly as she covered her nose and mouth with her sleeve, blinking away tears from the smoke, she headed towards the door, stepping into the hall with a relieved sigh. Glancing back at the now – blazing room, she took a deep breath and turned, hand retrieving her wand from her pocket. Yet as her body moved, she found herself staring at the chest of a tall, dark-skinned man. Her face paled as she took in the blue robes that marked the man as an Auror of the British Ministry of Magic. A split second glance up at his face told her all she needed to know. _They_ had found her.

"Shi –" was all she got out before she found herself pinned against the wall, her wrist twisted painfully as the larger man forced her to drop her wand. A gasp escaped her lips as the man loomed over her, a leer set on his face.

"Did you really think that you could escape us?" He sneered, his grip tightening on her wrist. Any more pressure and she was sure that it would snap like a twig.

She could hear footsteps coming up the stairs, and voices – lots of voices. Her breath speeding up, she glanced up at the Auror with wide eyes, before doing the only thing she could think of – she brought her knee up in between his legs. Hard.

The large man doubled over, his grip faltering as he instinctively jerked his arms downwards towards his abused groin. That slip was all she needed. Wrenching her arms out from his grasp, she brought her arm back, before punching him in the nose with a sickening _crack_. He fell back from the force of the blow, one hand reaching up to clutch at his face, blood streaming down his broken nose.

His eyes held a strange glint as he snarled at her. "You _bitch_" his voice was low and gravely, and would have been more intimidating had he been able to properly pronounce the words. But before he could react properly, she was off with a whirl of her cloak. Her wand was beside him, and there was no way she could reach it before him. So instead, she took off down the hall, escaping through the fire exit. She could hear angered shouts from behind her even as the door automatically slammed shut.

"Follow her-"

"She went that way-"

"Shacklebolt! What-"

"Don't question – just go, you fools!"

The voices faded momentarily as she hurried down the winding stairs, eager to get a head start. All too soon the door above her burst open, and the Aurors poured down the staircase in her wake. Quickly breaking into a full sprint as she stepped off the last of the stairs, she turned into one of the alleyways. She had to make it there. It was fairly close. All she had to do was lose her pursuers.

She cursed and veered right as a spell whizzed past her, alarmingly close to her head. A few more blocks and she would be there. They were heading towards the centre of the town – and it showed. A few people could be seen wandering the streets, though they certainly seemed to have no inclination of involving themselves in _her_ business, as the stopped and stared as she ran past them, breath coming out in desperate pants. Her lungs burned and she felt a little bit dizzy. A nauseous feeling rose, but she pushed it out of her mind. After all, it held little importance in comparison to the Aurors hot on her tail.

She cried out in pain as a stinging hex hit her arm, cradling it to her chest, but did not stop – could not stop. She had one more block left – no, half a block. And finally – there. She could see the bouncers standing imposingly at the doorway, silently observing her flight.

Another spell hit her leg just as she reached the door and she cried out in pain, collapsing in front of the two guards. One retreated inside, and the other stepped out, facing the oncoming Aurors. Though he did nothing to aid her, his movements were enough to make the Aurors hesitate. The bouncer was indeed impressive. Tall and extremely muscled, he stood imposingly between the predators and their prey.

She attempted to move, but a searing pain in her leg prevented her from any hope of escape. The only thing she could do was wait and pray that the bouncer would not change his mind. A whimper escaped her lips as she closed her eyes against the white-hot pain of the shattered bones in her leg.

"Do not try and move," came a cold voice from behind her, startling her enough that she felt her neck crack slightly from the strain.

She found herself staring up at a tall silver-haired man with a face that seemed to be carved of ice. "Wolf," she breathed in relief, "please, I seek your aid – your sanctuary, please, I – I –" she cut off as he raised his hand, a gesture for silence.

"We will discuss this later," he replied, voice like frozen wind. Stepping past her, he approached the aurors, revealing Sempath, Styx and Naomi who moved to stand beside the fallen woman. "For now," his gaze focused on the auror who was clutching his bleeding face, "I will be patient and I will listen to your reasons. Why do you attack her, outnumber her and pay no heed to my territory, Kingsley Shacklebolt, auror and member of the Order of the Phoenix? Surely you have more honour than that?"

The dark man sneered, an odd light in his eyes. "She is a traitor. You will regret harbouring her! Give her to us and I will not press charges against you for aiding a criminal!"

"Leave, Shacklebolt, and you will not be harmed. You get one warning. Do not press my patience" cold eyes narrowed in warning, stance imposing, dangerous.

The Auror's eyes swept over the Dark Elf, then those who stood behind him, lingering slightly, before snapping back to the man in front. "You will regret this," he snarled, before turning to the Aurors behind him. "Retreat for now," he growled.

"But S-" one of the younger Aurors protested, before behind elbowed by his companion. He gulped and nodded. "Yes, Sir!" he said, followed by the rest of the squad. They disappeared with sharp cracks, leaving Wolf facing an empty street.

Wolf stepped forward, sniffing slightly, eyes narrowed, focusing on the spot where the Aurors had previously stood. He reached out with his hand, chanting softly under his breath. At first it was only a couple of spots, but eventually almost a dozen small circle-shaped streams of blue light lit up the darkened street. For a moment nothing happened as Wolf stopped chanting, but when he suddenly clenched his fist tightly and swept it to the side, the spirals of light turned black, before vanishing suddenly as if they had never even been there in the first place.

Wolf turned to face the others. "The will not reappear for some time," he smirked slightly, the cold glint never quite leaving his eyes.

Styx stared in shock, before turning to Sempath. "Wh-what did he do?" she demanded, eyes wide.

Sempath looked at Styx curiously, as though wondering why she was so shocked. "He made sure that they won't be able to apparate here. But don't worry, everyone else can. He just singled them out." A curvature of the lips, "don't worry, he only does that to those he does not trust. He trusts you, 'cause I trust you. Don't worry about it!"

Styx stared at Sempath for a few moments longer before nodding hesitantly. "If – if you say so. I trust you too, Sempath" a slight quirk of the lips seemed to form them into a smirk, but it was gone quickly and Sempath was sure that she had been imagining it. "More importantly," Styx's eyes narrowed as she focused on the fallen woman on the street, who was also staring at Wolf in awe, "what do we do with her?"

At this the woman seemed to snap out of her daze, though not without a slight wince. All at once she began to babble, a desperate tone coating her voice, eyes slightly wild as she gazed up at the imposing silver-haired man. "Th-thank you for saving me! Please, please don't hurt me! I – I'm escaping the Dark Lord's service! I used to follow him, but I don't anymore! I swear! I – I have information! Important information that you should know. If you're going to kill me, at least let me give it to you before you do. But really, I swear, I don't follow him anymore, I want to join you! I'll do anything! Anything, I swear! Just ask me and it will be done, I give you my word! I – please!" she gasped in pain as she tried to move, but her injuries reminded her why she was on the ground in the first place. She glanced down at her leg, whimpering slightly in pain.

"I told you not to move," his cold voice sounded much closer to her than before.

Her head jerked around and she found herself face-to-face with Wolf, his cold eyes boring into hers, so intense that she swore he could read her soul, if he wanted to.

"What's your name?" he queried, his gaze never wavering.

"H-Hei. My name is Hei," she said distantly, unable to break away from his bottomless eyes. She noticed his eyes narrow minutely and let out a soft breath of relief as he stood up abruptly, severing contact between their eyes.

"Naomi," he said, and his soul mate stepped forward, her head tilted in question. "Heal her. Give her one of the spare rooms. For now she'll work with you." His eyes drifted back to Hei, who stared back in shock. "Do not disappoint me, after giving me such a name," he turned and strode through the door, back into the club.

She shivered at his voice, unable to rid herself of the fear that managed to worm its way into her mind at the promise that lay in his voice, should she fail to please him.

----

Violent shudders wracked the man's body, slight grunts of pain issuing from his mouth as his body changed, bones snapping, realigning, skin stretching, eyes readjusting. It was over soon, and he smirked, cold eyes turning towards the large set of double doors that loomed over him ominously. Reaching for one of the serpentine handles, he pulled it open smoothly, and striding in confidently. His head was kept lowered, eyes rising no higher than to the feet of the great man who stood before him. Once he reached five feet of the stairs leading up to the throne, he bent down, bowing low before his almighty Lord and Master. "Master, I have brought good news," he spoke calmly, though he could not keep a slight hint of glee from his voice.

"Oh? Do go on, my servant," the cold, serpentine voice sent chills down his spine, of both fear and anticipation.

"My Lord, she is in."

----

**Author's Note:** I am truly sorry that this took so incredibly long to come out! I've had it partially typed since… well, a couple of weeks after I posted the previous chapter. However, personal and school matters severely hindered my updating process. I tried to make this a bit longer, but it's not much better, I'm afraid. Still, I hope you enjoyed it!

I will try and update a LOT faster, but I also have a lot of schoolwork (AKA a 5-page essay to write every other week), so it might be a bit slow still, but I will do my best!! I promise! And as I have said before, I WILL NOT ABANDON THIS STORY! Even I it takes me years, I will finish it! I already have it planned out J I just need to get it down!

**Just a shout-out to all of those who reviewed, whether it was right after I had posted the chapter till very recently, THANK YOU! You kept me going! Because I kept receiving reviews, I got more motivation to update! I am more grateful than you will ever realize!**


	15. Don't Forget To Remember

**Summary** : Framed for murder, Harry finds himself sentenced to Azkaban, as the wizarding world believes themselves rid of Voldemort forever. Only Harry knows the truth, but no one will believe him. Betrayed by friends, Harry finds out his true heritage, and disappears upon his release. After restarting his life in a completely new setting, he finds out that his past has no intention of leaving him alone.

**Disclaimer**: I'm sure you all know it by now… None of the characters you recognise are mine. Simple as that.

Chapter title from the Beegees.

**Chapter 15: Don't Forget To Remember**

Grey-dominated eyes glared at the ornate stone chair, anger flittering freely in its depths as the tall figured paced back and forth, pausing occasionally pausing to growl unintelligible words under their breath. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the silver-cloaked figure strode towards the sacred seat of the _Nagasiin_. "_Why_," he hissed heatedly to himself, "why was _he_ chosen?" A slight sneer marred the otherwise unmarred face. "While I have been waiting for years for this chance, only to be shown up by this _child_!?" A growl, silver shifting like mercury in a heated gaze.

"It is not yet your time," came an unexpected voice, soft like a winter breeze, startling the other. "But it will come, and with it, liaisons with creatures you have imagine only in your wildest dreams. Do not rush this. Your chance will come, for from pain, horror and death springs hope." White, blank eyes seemed to stare through the Shadow Elf's eyes and deep into their soul.

The cloaked elf struggled to control a suddenly racing heart and excess of adrenaline, extremities shaking slightly, though whether in fear or anticipation was impossible to tell.

As if reading the other's mind, blank eyes blinked slowly, and a slight smile curved the very edges of small, soft lips. "Fear not," like the tinkling of a stream the soft voice flowed, "I will not reveal this to anyone. The Dragon's Cry will remain unchanged." And with a swirl of soft, flowing fabric, the blank-eyed figure disappeared, led silently by an equally as silent figure.

Silver-flecked eyes watched the entrance to the large room with cold eyes, before a slight twitch at the corner of rose lips revealed satisfaction.

--

"Any word from Blaise?" the words left Draco Malfoy's mouth as soon as he heard the familiar footsteps and slight _creak_ as the doors opened, absentmindedly reminding himself to get the house elves to fix it immediately.

"No," came the calm reply, the tone belying the number of times this question had been asked. "not since you last asked, fifteen minutes ago, darling. Last we heard, he was in Canada, and that's all we know. Nothing has changed." Gabrielle's exasperated tone reached his ears as she settled herself on the couch near his desk, and the young Malfoy heir could hear the slight warning laced in her voice.

Nonetheless, he was undeterred. Blaise should have sent _some_ word by now. It had been over two months since he'd seen the man. Who knows what that mischievous bastard was up to now. Probably spying on some noble or lord. He was rather surprised though, that even his spies had not caught wind or word of his long-time friend.

"He always was good at disguises," came Gabrielle's dry response, and he realized that he had been speaking out loud.

Shocked at his lack of control, he fought to regain his composure, before turning back from his pacing to face his wife. "He'd better bloody well have a good explanation for his disappearance," he growled, eyes flashing angrily. "or I'll thrash him bare myself." And with that he stalked back to his desk, angrily grabbing his quill, and set about writing a very important letter.

Gabrielle eyed him from her spot on the chesterfield, wondering if she should tell him now or later. Her hand drifted over her stomach and she smiled slightly. Perhaps at dinner time. He was much too worried about their foolish friend at the moment. Maybe after a glass or two of wine over a lovely meal. Yes, that would be the best time to break the news.

--

"Lethares," Wolf smiled warmly, walking into the pair of arms that were waiting to embrace him. The comforting scent of pine and earth washed over him as he buried his head in the older elf's shoulder, much like a child would his father after a long trip away from home. Strong arms wrapped around his shoulders, soothing the tension that ran through his taught muscles.

"Wolf, our most precious _Nagasiin_," replied the Lethares, his low calming voice bringing comfort to the young one in his arms. "Times are trying, my young friend, and you will need all the help you can get," a sad smile played with the ends of his lips. "You have our full support. Come," the Shadow Elf swept through the open doors from the antechambre to the drawing room, "we have important issues to discuss."

Upon entering the room, Wolf noticed that they were not alone. Sharp, shrewd eyes locked onto his form immediately, and he locked onto the silver-speckled gaze without hesitation. It took a moment before he recognized the elf who stood in front of one of the couches, having stood up once Lethares had entered. "Ah, Tetou, I had not thought that I would have the pleasure of your company so soon," he spoke carefully, politely, but otherwise impassively.

The tall man bowed to Lethares in greeting, then tilted his head slightly towards Wolf, eyes dominated by grey as cold as they had been when they had first met. "Likewise," he murmured, no inflection in his voice, and yet his eyes showed an emotion that Wolf knew all too well: dislike. The man only lowered himself back into his seat once Lethares had situated himself comfortably, finally breaking away from the intense gaze with a slight nonchalant toss of his head.

Choosing the love seat for himself, Wolf let his gaze move from Tetou to Lethares, finding himself relaxing automatically at the sight of the head of the Silver Shadow Elves' confident and nonchalant manner with which he held himself.

"I promised you help," began Lethares, deciding not to bother with idle small talk, "and thus I formally present to you Tetou, Truthsayer, and your crutch in these times of little trust."

Wolf stood in quiet surprise for a moment, before bowing. "I am honoured," he murmured, eyes focused on the ground. He had a feeling that Tetou would be watching him carefully to observe his reaction. Although truly, he was not sure what he should be feeling at the moment. He was grateful for both the aid and the gesture of support, but he was not sure about Tetou himself. He knew very little about the elf, and he knew that – for some reason or another – the man held a certain degree of animosity towards him. Why, of course, he had no idea. Nonetheless, he would be wary around him, but he would not disregard the importance of a Truthsayer. The support was sorely needed, especially at a time like this. He would be indebted to Tetou, of that he was sure. He just hoped that it would be worth the price in the end.

Lethares eyed him for a moment, as if aware of what was on his mind, but said nothing on it, instead nodding in satisfaction. "May your Shadow forever remain black," he murmured in parting, already moving towards the doors that would lead further into the dark lair.

"May the light never catch you," Wolf and Tetou responded in unison, standing up and bowing their farewell.

As the doors closed they eyed each other silently, as if sizing up the other. Finally Wolf broke the silence with a resigned sigh. "Loyal Elf, come and be welcome at my hearth and home," he murmured politely, offering his arm as the other swept towards the waiting shadows cast by the dim light and protruding foundations.

With an impassive nod Tetou stepped forward, placing his hand lightly on Wolf's wrist, and allowed him to guide them both into the shadows and bear them away from this sanctuary and towards the human world.

--

Azure pools stared at the intimidating figures that stood around her, deep calming breaths helping her control her emotions. Inside she was a mess, fear and panic swirling unpleasantly in her stomach, even as she tried to ignore it, to push it aside. But she held her head up proudly, eyes gleaming with pride, cloaking any other emotions that threatened to overcome her. Her body rigid, shoulders squared, back straight, hands resting peacefully on her lap. The stiff chair was uncomfortable but she firmly squashed the urge to shift and squirm. The cold, piercing gazes of the guards stationed were not helping either. Nevertheless, she would not allow herself to lose control. She was proud that the only outwards sign of her nervousness was the occasional twitch in her right pinky. Dreadful nuisance, it was. Ever since that accident with the garden gnome...

Her thoughts were cut off as the shadows warped suddenly, stretching, humming, and releasing two tall figures, silver glinting as the shadows receded behind them, purring contentedly as they wrapped around the ankles of the newest arrivals. _Wolf_. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the imposing figure who watched her calmly, cold eyes assessing, and – she was sure – missing not even the tiniest detail. Her pinky twitched again. She was about to open her mouth to speak, when the shadow behind stepped forward as well. She suddenly found herself staring into frozen pools of shimmering mist, sharp, piercing, as if seeking her soul, a candle in the darkness. Her body tingled, and for a moment she felt estranged from her body, confused, the heavy gaze weighing her down. It was as if she was floating, but held back by heavy chains, unable to break free as a foreign presence wandered around her, assessing, searching, and finally… finding.

With a slight gasp she found herself jolted back into reality, eye contact broken in a swift movement by the tall, unnamed Shadow Elf. Slightly disoriented, she shook her head, missing the sharp look that passed from Wolf to the Truthsayer. When she looked up again, Wolf was standing in front of her, hand resting lightly on the hilt of a slim but no less menacing blade, sheathed comfortably at his side.

"Well, _Hei_," he murmured, "What brought you to my domain?" he began to circle her captive figure, eyes sweeping objectively over her body, so intense that she could feel his gaze burning into her skin, trying to read her every reaction.

She opened her mouth, and everything seemed to go downhill from there. The questions started neutral, then headed towards private, than downright intrusive subjects. And yet, she found herself answering every single question. Why was she here? For protection. Was she a Dark witch? No (She did wonder at this, she had to admit later. Would he really care if she was?). Had she at one point supported Voldemort? Yes. How had she found out about him? Rumours. Was she married? No. Did she have children? No. Did she have the blood of any creature running through her veins? No. Had she ever killed anyone? Yes. Had she enjoyed it? Yes. Did she plan on killing anyone in the future? Yes.

And so she found herself subjugated to question after question, no relief, cold curt words hammered towards her, icy stares freezing her in place whenever she shifted, no reprieve, no sympathy. She wasn't really sure how long it had been. Her bottom had long ago gone numb, her back and neck stiff from staying in the upright position for such a long time. Her legs ached, her feet cold, her lips chapped and dry, her throat parched from speaking for so long but drinking no water. Her only consolation was that her captors had not had any rest either. They seemed intent on finishing this in one shot.

She opened her mouth to answer the next question, but all that came out was a feeble croak. The next thing she knew, she was bent over in half, hacking into her hands, her thin frame shuddering at the violent abuse of her throat and lungs. She drew in a much-needed breath, only to find her throat rebelling once again, sending her into another fit of coughs. A firm hand lifted her head, tilting it back, and setting the cool edge of a glass to her lips, and letting a slight trickle of water slip past her lips. She choked slightly at first, breathing it in instead of swallowing as her throat tightened, sputtering slightly, coughing to the side, before coming back moments later, and this time enjoying the cool liquid that slipped down her throat, soothing her worn passage. Never before had water tasted so sweet, so pure. She gulped down the rest greedily, letting out a satisfied sigh as she drained the last drop, leaning back in the unforgiving chair, licking her lips for any stray droplets that may have escaped.

"It is amazing, isn't it," came the soothing voice of the intimidating man squatting in front of her, empty glass held loosely by the pads of his fingers. "how we never truly realize how precious some things are in life." He stood up and gave her a long, hard look that had her squirming slightly in her seat, feeling like a young child about to be scolded. But no rebuke came, instead were words that shocked her. "Welcome, Hei, to _Ombres_. I do hope you know what is most precious to you, and keep a firm grip on it. Never lose sight of it. Never forget how important it is to you." And with that, he turned and strode from the room, along with the others, leaving her alone in the cold and darkness that surrounded her. Alone until…

"Hei," a kind face greeted her, a soft smile playing on the rose lips. "come, I'll show you to your room". The woman – Naomi, if she remembered correctly – turned, obviously expecting Hei to follow.

She stared after the departing woman for a moment, until her mind finally caught up with the present. It had worked. A slight smile quirked the corners of her lips. She was in.

**Author's Note**: Uh, ok, short, and long absence… again. Sorry. I've been writing so much the past two semesters, but it's been papers, unfortunately, and not my stories. Hopefully I'll have more time during the summer. Exams will be over soon, and I'll try and get chapters out more often! I know that the interrogation seemed short, but I couldn't write it out, it just seemed too long. I'll be giving small snippets of it later on, but the whole thing isn't incredibly important. I could keep it just as it is right now, but I'll make it realistic and embellish a bit probably in the next chapter.

Once again THANK YOU to those who reviewed, even though I hadn't updated in ages! Especially recently, every single review that I received has given me incentive to write more! And they're so positive . I love you all!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter.


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